


The Search

by SLynn



Series: The Body [2]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Gen, I wrote this a long time ago, still a lost trope, the other side of The Body
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-02-18
Updated: 2005-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 00:30:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLynn/pseuds/SLynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another import from forever ago!

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_On a personal note -- dear God what am I thinking? I just had to get this out, although I didn't plan on attempting it so soon. I just hope I don't start confusing my two stories... :) I've said it before, well maybe just to myself, but I'm such an angst monkey._

**Day One**

Nick pulled the SUV up even with the rest of the official vehicles on scene. For the life of him he couldn’t imagine why it would take so many people to process one dead body in the middle of nowhere, but he hadn’t argued. Even though it was his day off and the fifth time in a row he’d been called in on his day off, he didn’t argue. Catherine had sounded urgent and she was the boss. That was more then enough reason for him.

Grabbing his gear and heading over to where she and Brass now stood, Nick hung back a moment till they’d finished their talk.

“Nick,” she said walking towards him, “Good, you’re here. We’ve got a bit of situation.”

”What kind?” he asked, looking first from her to him. He didn’t like what he was seeing. “Multiple bodies? Hazmat situation? What is it?”

”Missing investigators,” Brass answered.

“Missing? What… what do you mean?”

”This scene was originally grave shift’s,” Catherine picked up, “Grissom and Greg showed up to process it and well, no one’s seen them since.”

”No one just disappears,” Nick returned, really not believing it, “Especially not Grissom. Greg, okay I’ll give you that he might wander around some, but it’s not like he’d leave a scene.”

”I know,” Catherine defended, “I do Nick. And we don’t think they left. Their vehicle is still here and one of the officers on scene specifically remembers Grissom telling him they’d be right back.”

”Right back? How long ago was it?”

”About four hours,” Brass answered this time.

“So four hours pass and now we’re looking for them?”

”It’s not like that. This was a busy place. No one noticed…”

”No one noticed?” Nick broke in angrily.

Before he could say anything further Catherine took him by the arm and dragged him back a few steps.

“Calm down,” she said turning him round now as they walked towards the vehicles, “I’m sure they’re both fine.”

”Foul play?” he asked as it really was just setting in.

”It hasn’t been ruled out,” Catherine admitted, “but no one thinks so. There were too many cops around, no signs of a struggle. They may have just spotted something and got lost. It’s not hard to do.”

Nick nodded now as they came to a stop in front of a lab issue SUV.

“Is this what they drove in?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, “I’ll send Warrick up when he’s finished with the victim.”

Nick didn’t respond, just set down his case and put on his gloves. He had no idea what he was looking for, if anything he’d find would even help, but he had to do it.

He skipped the front seats temporarily, more interested in what they might have taken with them from the back. Both their cases were gone and there wasn’t much of anything else in the SUV. The thing was immaculate.

“Hey man, find anything?”

He turned to Warrick and shrugged.

“Well, we know that Greg at least had his case on him. Grissom’s was left down by the db.”

Nick nodded, shut the door and pulled off his gloves.

“This is crazy,” he muttered.

“I know it,” Warrick agreed. “It’s not like Griss to just take off.”

”Are they even searching yet?”

”Where?” Warrick asked in return, “We don’t even know which way they might have went. Brass and a few of the officers did a preliminary sweep but they probably won’t officially call in a party until tomorrow.”

“What about their phones? They weren’t in the truck.”

”Tried that already,” Warrick said shaking his head. “Goes right to voice mail. There’s no reception out here. None. My own phone has been useless since I turned off the main road about five miles back.”

Nick didn’t like it. The sun had gone down a few hours ago and he could feel the temperature change through his jacket. Fortunately it was spring, but still early spring.

“It’s going to get cold tonight,” Nick commented and Warrick nodded his head in agreement.

“Yeah, the officer who saw them last,” Warrick said, stopping momentarily to flip through his notes to the name, “Officer Callahan, said they were both wearing jackets.”

”Windbreakers probably,” Nick countered, “It’s going to be too cold for that.”

Warrick didn’t respond, he was too busy watching another SUV pull onto scene. It finally caught Nick’s attention as well.

“Is it that late already?” Nick asked.

“No,” Warrick answered.

Nick started walking over to it just as Sara emerged from the driver’s seat.

“What the hell happened?” she asked angrily.

“We don’t know yet,” Nick answered honestly. He was still just as angry as she was but doing a better job of suppressing it.

“Why weren’t we called?” she asked again, turning from one to the other. It’s when they realized that she wasn’t alone. Sofia was with her looking every bit as angry for being left out of the loop.

“It happened on our shift,” Nick said evenly.

“Well the db happened on days and that didn’t stop Ecklie from calling in Griss,” Sara continued. She was really on a roll now. Her voice was getting loud to the point where people were staring.

“Sara,” Nick said stepping closer and lowering his voice, “we’re going to find them.”

Sara looked at Nick, really looked at him. She was caught between wanting to believe him and not knowing if she should.

“What have you got so far?” Sofia asked, defusing the situation some.

“Not much,” Warrick said, trying as well to ease the tension, “We know they got here around one and were last seen around two, two-thirty.”

“How can we help?” she asked. Both women had their cases with them, eager to be doing something.

“Well,” Warrick continued, “We we’re thinking about taking a look around the perimeter. Checking for footprints. See if we can get a good idea of where to start the search tomorrow.”

”Tomorrow?” Sara asked all the composure she’d gain slipping away. “Why tomorrow? Why aren’t they looking now?”

“Sara,” Nick said placing an arm around her and squeezing her shoulder once, “they’re going to be fine. Its one night. Grissom probably spotted some rare bug and dragged Greg over to it for a better look.”

”Or Greg saw something shiny,” Warrick put in with a smile.

“They’ve both taken basic first aid and survival courses,” Nick continued. “They’re probably either heading back this way now or making camp for the night.”

”Did you see Greg’s test scores on the survival test?” Sara asked completely serious.

“Grissom’s with him,” Sofia stated ending the argument.

They four of them spent the next few hours combing over the site with little luck. The officers who, in trying to find where Greg and Grissom might have gone, inadvertently covered their tracks more efficiently then anything else could have done.

Sofia not wanting to quit reluctantly checked her watch.

“Sara,” she said shaking her head, “We’ve got to go. We’re supposed to be at the lab.”

”Go on,” Nick urged, “we’ll stay. Come back in the morning.”

Sara nodded, thanking him with a smile. Tonight wasn’t going to be an easy night for anyone but they still had work to do. Other cases. Other crimes.

Sara let Sofia drive back, the entire trip shrouded in silence.

Once in the lab they were instantly accosted by Jacqui.

“Is it true?” she asked falling in step beside them. “Did Greg really get lost in the desert?”

”Not just Greg,” Sofia put in.

“So it is,” Jacqui said sounding shocked, “I thought Hodges was just making it up.”

”How did he find out?” Sara asked as they stopped in the break room.

“Same way he finds out about everything,” Jacqui commented, “His heads so far up Ecklie’s ass they share a brain.”

Sofia choked on her coffee, still not use to the utter frankness that defined Jacqui. Sara laughed but not as much as usual.

“So it’s true,” Jacqui said after a moment, shaking her head. “How long do they think it will take to find them?”

”The guys are optimistic,” Sara said, trying to sound so herself. “They think tomorrow by latest.”

”Good,” Jacqui said looking down a bit as she did so.

“We should call Brass,” Sofia suggested, “See where we’re needed for the night.”

Sara heard her, knew she must have made some kind of acknowledgement but couldn’t really recall it all happening. Sofia left, presumably to Grissom’s office to do just that, leaving Sara and Jacqui alone.

“They’ll be okay,” Jacqui said, it coming out more like a question then a statement.

Sara smiled at her warmly.

“Of course they’ll be okay,” Jacqui repeated sounding more confident, “Grissom knows what he’s doing. Greg’s an outdoorsman.”

Sara laughed at that. Recollecting what she’d said, Jacqui did too.

“Wow, I’m delirious. Outdoorsman. I meant he’s been outdoors. I can’t picture him camping for the life of me. Actually roughing it. Have you seen what a freak he is about keeping his hands clean?”

”Yes,” Sara said still laughing, “his nails are cleaner then mine. Meticulous as he’d say. If a scene looks really messy, he double gloves and then spends fifteen minutes in the bathroom washing just his hands.”

”Oh that’s nothing,” Jacqui continued, “One night he must have spilt something, I don’t think it was even hazardous, just a mixer but he went ballistic. Ran down the hall faster then I thought he could move. Bobby and I were terrified, raced down after him certain his skin was coming off. But it was nothing. He just hated getting it on his skin. Scrubbed his arm so much it was raw the rest of the night.”

“Well,” Sara said sobering up some, “I guess considering…”

Jacqui nodded. She knew what Sara was getting at. Greg hadn’t always been so paranoid, just after the accident in the lab.

“I’ve got to get to work,” Jacqui said, touching her briefly on the arm before she left, “Let me know when you hear anything.”

”I will,” Sara called after her.

Sofia rejoined her soon enough. She had a case for them to get to and Sara was glad to hear it. She needed something to do. Something to keep her mind from straying where she knew it would for the rest of the night.

Part of her wanted nothing more then to go back out to the desert and help Nick and Warrick but she knew she couldn’t do that. For one, Grissom wouldn’t want her to do that. He’d want her to do the job.

Second, she didn’t think she could. Not right now.


	2. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

 

_Officially -- I have no life. Enjoy._

**Day Two**

It was pretty much what Nick had expected to happen. Sara had shown back up at the site not long after her shift ended. Warrick, Catherine, Brass, and a few others beside himself had been up all night as well. Half of night shift had volunteered to search but they weren’t needed. Local cadets were coming in around ten to do just that. Nick only hoped by then they’d have an idea which way to look.

“Warrick, Nick,” Catherine said catching his attention. He’d been staring at the spot the body, long since gone, had been hoping to find some trace of where to go next. “I need to get back to the lab. Don’t stay too long you both need some rest. Shift starts at four and it doesn’t begin here.”

They both nodded, Sara now at their side. She wasn’t really listening but seemingly doing exactly what Nick had been before. Looking for a starting place.

Nick and Warrick both promised to pack it up soon and whether or not she believed them she smiled and left but not before wishing them luck.

Warrick walked her up to her car, having something else to discuss, momentarily leaving Nick and Sara alone.

“Nothing?” she asked.

“Not a thing,” Nick answered, “I’ve been standing here like an hour.”

”Doing what?”

”Trying to think like Greg.”

Sara looked at him odd.

“I gave up trying to think like Griss years ago,” Nick said somewhat truthfully to which Sara laughed.

“Hard to replicate,” Sara agreed.

“Well, Greg isn’t that much easier.”

Nick squatted down now, going through the motions once more.

“The body was here.”

”Okay,” Sara said leaning down as well, “Grissom’s been letting Greg take the lead lately, build his confidence, so he’d probably be where you are.”

”Right,” Nick nodded and then shook his head. “I don’t know. I can’t think anymore. They could have gone anywhere.”

Warrick came up behind him, standing still and looking off in the distance.

“What do you think that is?” he asked pointing straight ahead.

Nick and Sara both stood and turned as one.

“It was a stabbing right?” Sara asked.

“Yeah,” Nick answered, “and that certainly is shiny.”

Warrick gave him a small smile.

It took nearly twenty minutes to get there. It was much further away then it had seemed from the scene. Once there, crossing several small hills, the three of them had a hard time finding the object and an even harder time discerning which way they’d come from. Today however they were prepared. They’d brought short wave radios in place of the phones and had left a crime scene tape trail in their wake.

“I’ve got footprints,” Warrick confirmed over his radio to Brass, “Two sets. We’ve got their starting point.”

”Stay there,” Brass said briefly.

“Why don’t you two head home?” Sara asked.

“No way,” Nick argued. “I’m going to at least see this thing started.”

”Yeah,” Warrick agreed, “Can’t quit now.”

”Where was Catherine going in such a hurry?” she asked as they continued to search.

Finding the initial tracks was easy. Griss and Greg had been there, that was easy to see. They’d trampled all over the area they now stood probably doing exactly what had the three of them had, looking for that object.

“Ecklie left it to her to call Greg’s family.”

”What?” Nick asked, momentarily looking over to him. “That’s his job.”

”Yeah,” Warrick said, “I know. He said since she knew Greg and all she should be the one to break the news.”

”There’s nothing to break yet,” Sara mumbled.

They continued on in silence, looking for the next lead.

“Looks like I got a trail here,” Sara said calling them over.

“Yeah,” Nick agreed, “More tracks too.”

”They probably took this thinking it was taking them back. Slopes the same grade. It all looks the same out here.”

”It was hot,” Nick continued, “They had to have been tired, not normally at work during the day. You know Greg was talking non-stop annoying the crap out of Grissom.”

Both men laughed but Sara shot them both a contemptuous look.

“Lay off,” she defending, “he’s not that bad.”

“We are talking about Sanders right?” Nick joked.

“Yes,” Sara said evenly, “Neither of you have worked with him for months. He’s actually pretty quiet at scenes.”

”Just no where else,” Warrick said.

Sara rolled her eyes and started down the path.

“Whoa,” Nick said taking hold of her shoulder, “we need to wait for Brass.”

”Why? We’ve waited long enough.”

”No,” Nick argued, “Come on Sara. We wait. Greg and Grissom are already lost; they don’t need to be looking for us as well.”

Sara relented, but just barely.

It was going to be a very long day.

****

Catherine took a deep breath.

She’d been at her desk now for half an hour trying to work up the nerve to just do it. Personnel had given her Greg’s emergency contact information, his mother and step-father in New York. Now, number in hand, she still had no idea what she was going to say to either of them.

Grissom, to her surprise, had her listed as his contact. It was touching and strange all at once. He’d never told her that she was his contact and she’d never expected it. Catherine knew his mother had passed away a few years ago but thought there had to be someone better for the job then her. He had to have some other family somewhere. But knowing Grissom, his other family was likely right here in the lab. They were his other family. She was.

Picking up the phone for the fourth time Catherine finally dialed the number. It was three hours later in New York, nearly two o’clock and she wondered briefly if anyone was even home. She suddenly realized Greg had never talked about his mother. She hadn’t even known he had a stepfather. The only family Greg Sanders had ever mentioned to her or anyone as far as she was aware was his Papa Olaf.

On the third ring a woman answered.

“Faulkner residence. How may I help you?”

Catherine only hesitated briefly. Of course it wouldn’t be Sanders. Stepfather after all.

“Yes, hello. I’m Catherine Willows. I’m trying to reach Kiersten Faulkner.”

”What is this regarding?”

”It’s about her son, Greg. I work with him at the Las Vegas Crime Lab.”

”One moment.”

Catherine listened to the heavy silence mentally preparing herself for what she’d have to say. She was still optimistic but had to be serious. She had to be honest.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

****

Nick left not long after the official search began right around noon. He was exhausted, had to be at work in four hours but found that he just couldn’t go home. Instead he drove to Greg’s place.

Knowing exactly where Greg kept his spare key, Nick let himself in. He’d told Greg three of four thousand times that the first place robbers look is under the door mat but Greg wouldn’t move it.

Opening the door Nick was nearly knocked over by Chloe.

“Hey girl,” he said leaning down and scratching her behind the ear.

He remembered when Greg had picked her out. Greg loved that dog. Adored was closer to the truth. He’d gotten her after he’d been in the house a week. Greg had been so excited about the place, but after a week said it was too big. At least it was too big a place for just him. Too big and too quiet, so he’d bought Chloe.

Nick made his way to the kitchen letting the Labrador out the back door into the yard before getting her some clean water and food.

Looking around the place he’d never seen it so empty. Greg still didn’t have enough furniture to fill the space but Nick hadn’t really noticed till now. And Greg was right, it was quiet. It was so quiet. Every time he’d been there before it had always seemed louder, fuller even, probably because Greg really could talk a mile a minute and had a habit of moving about continuously from one spot to the next.

Nick let out a sigh and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. He had really expected them to be back by now. None of it felt like it was really happening. He kept expecting to see Greg any moment now. To get a call from Griss saying that they were at the lab. It had almost been a full day and it was really sinking in.

Officially they were missing.

****

Sara was mad.

Soaking wet and angry she’d gone back to the lab to change. She should have gone home but didn’t want too. Keeping busy was her only option and the only place she could do that was at work.

The search had been going well. They’d been making progress and then it had started to rain. They had no choice but to call it off. None.

Worst of all, the footprints were all going to be gone tomorrow. They still had the trail but what if it petered out? What if Grissom and Greg took another detour? What if, by some freak chance they weren’t even on that trail? They’d found nothing but footprints to suggest they were and suddenly that didn’t seem like enough.

They’d been an hour away from calling in a helicopter but then that damn rain had started to fall and ruined it.

Sara was so mad.

“Called for rain?” Warrick asked.

“How’d you guess?” Sara returned without a trace of humor.

Catherine came in and taking in her appearance decided not to ask how it had gone.

“Where’s Nick?” she asked instead.

“Sorry,” he answered for himself, “traffic.”

”Did you get any sleep?” she asked immediately.

He looked horrible and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was still wearing the clothes she’d last seen him in.

“No,” Nick said with a shake of his head, “I stopped to check on Chloe.”

”I forgot,” Sara said, “How is she?”

”Good, lonely I think.”

”Who is she?” Catherine asked beating Warrick to the punch.

“Greg’s dog,” Nick answered.

“At least he’s got that,” Catherine sighed.

Now all three of them were staring at her.

“Has Greg ever mentioned his mother to any of you?” Catherine asked now.

Warrick shook his head. Nick looked down at his hands and Sara nodded slightly.

“What a piece of work,” Catherine muttered. “I can not believe that the woman I spoke to today had anything to do with the Greg Sanders we know.”

”That bad?” Warrick asked.

“Greg and his mother don’t exactly get along,” was all Nick would offer.

Glancing over at Sara he had a feeling she might know as much if not more of the story then he did. It wasn’t something Greg had ever talked about often, but when he had it hadn’t been pretty.

“I know he isn’t listed, but does anyone know where I could reach his father?” Catherine asked.

Nick didn’t have an answer to that one. Neither did Warrick.

“Greg’s never met his father,” Sara said flatly, looking down as she spoke.

The four of them sat in silence for a full ten minutes.

It was going to be another long night.


	3. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_This one took awhile but I think the next few chapters will be up sooner. Feedback is a good thing!_

**Day Three**

Nick had gotten very little sleep that night but was up at the crack of dawn and back out with the search party.

He and Warrick had stuck around for a few hours and helped Sara and Sofia clear some cases. They mostly did up paperwork, ran tests, and all things that could be done at the lab. Ecklie was supposedly bringing in some temp help for them that night, but no one was counting on it.

No one still believed it would be needed.

It had stopped raining at around four in the morning. Now it was seven and unfortunately they almost had to start at square one. Helicopters were still out of the question. The weather was better but still threatening. They’d have to push as far as they could today and hope for the best.

The search team, much smaller today, quickly regained the lost ground over the course of the morning, but by the time they’d started on new terrain the rain had begun to fall again.

Nick feeling dejected but certainly not giving up had to call it quits as well. He was due back at work again that afternoon and his optimism was waning. The rain yesterday had been light, a drizzle really. By the time he pulled his jeep up in front of Greg’s house it was a virtual downpour. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed the car already in the drive.

Sara pulled the door open before he could even reach for the key under the mat.

“Hey Nick.”

”What are you doing here?” he asked a little more then surprised.

“Checking on Chloe,” she answered stepping back and letting him in.

“And evidently developing OCD.”

Sara said nothing to it, just walked over to what she’d been doing before she’d heard him pull up. Cleaning the refrigerator.

“I needed something to do,” she commented as if that explained it all.

“So what, Grissom’s house too hard to break into?”

”Actually, yes. Besides Catherine’s there feeding his collection. It was either this or work a triple. Brass banned me from the search, told me to go get some sleep.”

“Yeah I think I’ve overstayed my welcome there too,” Nick commented sitting down at the kitchen table.

Sara got up and joined him after a minute more just as Chloe padded her way into the kitchen.

“Find anything?” she asked, knowing he’d of told her right off if he had.

“No,” he said with a shake of his head, “It’s this damn rain. We’ll be lucky to pick up where we left off tomorrow.”

”It’s not good is it,” she said her voice getting a bit shaky.

“We’re going to find them Sara.”

Nick’s own voice was all confidence and she took some comfort in that. But then again, when did Nick ever get despondent?

“I just wonder what kind of condition we’ll find them in,” Sara continued but sounding more solid. “Coldest spring in years and on top of that all this rain. They’ve been out in it two nights now, three days. Greg’s already sick.”

”Greg’s sick?” Nick asked cutting her off. He hadn’t known that.

“Yeah,” Sara said with a nod, “has been for weeks. Sofia and I have been taking turns telling him to go home. He listens to everything else we tell him just not when to give it a break.”

”Well considering the source…”

”You know I never thought he was that bullheaded before,” Sara said completely ignoring his remark.

”Little did you know,” Nick said with a laugh. Sara joined him.

“They’re going to be fine. Really Sara, you don’t have to worry. Griss knows what he’s doing and it’s not like Greg can’t take care of himself. You’ll see.”

Chloe was now resting her head in Sara’s lap. Absentmindedly she patted it all the time hoping Nick wasn’t just being his usual self. That he was in fact right.

****

Sara was back at work at roughly the same time as Nick. Neither of them had gotten any sleep and were just waiting for something to happen, reviewing cases in the mean time.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Nick mumbled flipping through a notebook.

“What?” Sara asked looking up from her own case file.

“Greg’s notes,” Nick said shaking his head. “They’re impossible to read. It’s like he’s writing in code.”

Sara looked over his shoulder and laughed.

“It’s shorthand.”

Nick looked at the notes and frowned.

“How am I supposed to read it?”

Sara took the notebook out of his hands and sighed.

“Victim Melissa Atwater, twenty eight, strangled. Time of death approximately nineteen hundred hours. Signs of struggle, forced entry. Should I go on?”

”You taught him this didn’t you?” he said with a grin. “What is this, some kind of ploy to keep grave shift cases a secret?”

”Actually, no I did not teach him this. Blame Sofia. She taught me too but I still prefer writing it out.”

Nick laughed and shook his head.

“So she’s not bad then?” he asked, sounding serious.

“Well, they both like her.”

”And you don’t?” Nick asked.

“She’s good at her job.”

Before Nick could question her further about the absolute vagueness of her answer they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Sorry,” the receptionist said as she peeked inside, “Catherine just got a call and she’s out.”

”I can take it,” Nick said starting to stand.

“Actually, the caller asked for Sara if she was available.”

They both looked surprised.

“Okay,” Sara said now getting to her feet, “Who is it?”

”She said she was Greg Sanders sister.”

“Oh,” Sara said now really taken back. “Okay, can you transfer it to Grissom’s office?”

”Right away,” the woman answered before turning to go.

“Do you want company?” Nick asked.

“Yeah,” she said and they both headed down the hall to where the phone was already ringing.

Sara took a deep breath before picking it up, sitting down behind the desk. Nick hovered nearby looking just about as nervous as she felt.

“Sara Sidle,” she said into the receiver.

“Hi, I um, hi. I’m sorry to call like this I just didn’t know who else to call.”

”Katie right?” Sara asked now, trying to put her at ease all the while thinking it really should be Nick having this conversation. He was the people person, not her.

She was surprised at the nervous laugh on the other end.

“Yeah, well only Greg calls me that. Everyone else calls me Kathleen.”

”I’m sorry Kathleen…”

”No, really. You can call me Katie.”

”Okay,” Sara said taking another deep breath. “Is there anything I can answer for you? Do for you?”

”Yes,” the young woman said sounding relieved, “my mom told me what happened today and I just wanted to know if you’d heard anything yet. If there was anything new?”

She sounded so optimistic, so hopefully optimistic that Sara would have given anything to tell her there was.

“Well,” Sara started, “we’ve been searching the area that your brother was last seen in but unfortunately the weather hasn’t been very cooperative.”

”I saw,” Katie said cutting in, “I mean, I’ve been checking weather.com all day. One of the news stations there had an article but there hasn’t been much else. It was pretty basic I was hoping you might know more.”

“I wish I did,” Sara said softly.

All she heard on the other side was a breathy ‘oh’ that so forcefully brought Greg to mind it was nearly unbearable.

“Let me get your number,” Sara found herself saying, doing her best to shake off the uneasiness. As helpless as she felt about this whole situation, it must be fifty times worse for Katie who was not only unable to do anything but also on the other side of the country. “As soon as we find something, hear something, I’ll call. I promise.”

As Katie continued to thank her and give out her cell phone number, Sara quickly jotted it down.

“You really don’t know what this means to me,” she said her voice sounding thick. “I really can’t say enough. I knew from the way my brother talks about you that you would but I didn’t expect… he really does… I’m sorry.”

From the sounds of it Katie had started to cry. Sara only realized she was too when Nick put his hand on her shoulder.

“I hate it that he’s so far away,” Katie said after a minute, “but he really loves it. He really talks about all of you like your family. I feel like I know you because of that.”

”He’s going to be okay Katie,” Sara said as steadily as she could.

“Yeah,” she returned sounding better now, “Of course he is. I knew I was being… thank you. Thank you.”

She didn’t say anything else other then goodbye and Sara sat there with the phone still in hand for a good solid minute after that.

Nick finally took the phone from her and hung it up after hearing the busy tone coming from the receiver.

“How is she?” he asked tentatively.

”Scared,” Sara said looking up at him finally. “Like all of us I guess.”

Sara wiped the palms of her hands across her cheeks as she stood. She pocketed the number she’d written down hoping that tomorrow she’d have a reason to call it.

Hoping she’d have a good reason to call it.


	4. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_Wow, I really have no life. :)_

**Day Four**

Sometimes Brass really hated his job.

Days like today.

The press had finally shown up, right on time, day four.

Every search he’d been a part of had been this way. Day four was like magic to television journalists because it was just past the halfway mark. Just past hope. They fed off of it like the piranhas they were. The misery. The dejection. It was always at this point that they showed up so they could start asking the really hard questions. The ones like ‘when will this turn into a recovery mission’. And it was always at this point that Brass began to ask that question himself.

Day four and there was still no sign of them. Four day and three nights. Three rough nights of cold weather and rain. The creeks were all flooded and the paths were all muddy.

It was going to be a long day.

Brass avoided the press like a pro, stepping under the tape that marked the beginning of the search path and managing only one backwards glance at Ecklie. Ecklie who up until this point hadn’t even been out here was now. Out in front of the cameras showing his concern and expressing his hopes that all would end well.

The bastard.

“What’s this I hear about you running off my crew?” Catherine asked as he stepped closer to her.

“Stokes tell you that?” Brass asked knowing it was true, “I told him to go get some sleep. He was dead on his feet.”

”Well, when’s the last time any of us slept,” Catherine returned.

‘Four days’ Brass thought but didn’t say. Just shrugged at her and kept walking.

“So what’s the plan for today?” Catherine was asking again.

“Helicopter is coming in this afternoon. Going to search the original area. Make sure they really did go this way.”

Catherine nodded.

“Any idea how far they might have gotten?” she hazarded, knowing Brass didn’t like answering all these questions but she needed answers.

“None,” Brass said shaking his head. “Any idea why they’re wandering around like nomads?”

”None,” Catherine echoed. “I can only guess that they’re onto something.”

”Well, I hope your right.”

They were silent for a few minutes before Catherine spoke again. She wanted to know the truth. The hard truth if only to prepare herself.

“What are the odds? I’m new to this. By the time I get to a scene, well, the search is over. But I know buzzards when I see them and they’re circling. Tell me the truth Jim.”

Brass looked at her as if really considering if she could handle it or not. He imagined Catherine hadn’t been involved in many searches like this. Not like he had.

“Well,” he started cautiously, “considering they don’t have any supplies that we know of, out in this rain and then sun, it’s not looking good. Exposure is the big issue right now. We need to find them soon.”

”How soon?”

”Like yesterday.”

Catherine nodded. It was what she’d expected but also what she’d been afraid of.

“Hey Cath, Brass,” Warrick said coming up and joining them. “Got some ATV’s to use today. I was going to ride up with a couple of the rangers to the stopping point from yesterday. You both coming?”

He didn’t have to wait long for their yeses. Soon they were on their way but it took a long time. The terrain wasn’t even and the mud slowed them considerably. The worst part was that now there was only the trail. No sign of footprints. No indication that they were in fact still going the right way.

****

Nick and Sara had come to a silent agreement to meet that morning at Greg’s place. They’d both slept in the living room for a good part of the morning, her on the couch and him in the recliner. They’d each only stopped at their own places long enough to shower and change. It was weird but felt oddly reassuring. Somehow they both knew that if the situation was reversed, Greg would have done the same sort of thing. It was like holding a vigil.

As a bonus Chloe really seemed to enjoy the company. It wasn’t hard to imagine that she was use to being by herself at night, but she practically bounced upon seeing them at the door that morning.

“Have you ever been a part of a search before?” Sara asked after they’d both come fully awake from their respected cat naps.

“Once when I was still in Dallas.”

”What was it like?”

”Not like this,” Nick admitted. “I mean, I didn’t know the person we were looking for. The kid. Parents reported their four year old daughter missing from one of the more rural parts, a ways out of town. Most everyone volunteered time to go look for her. Thought she’d wandered off the farm. Parents had said she’d done it before but had never gone far.”

”How did it turn out?”

“Not good,” he said shaking his head, “Turned out that she was dead. Had been dead before she was even reported missing. Mother had killed her in a sort of rage I guess, panicked and made the whole thing up. Buried her out back behind the barn.”

Sara thought about offering up an ‘I’m sorry’ but it didn’t seem right. Instead she offered to make lunch. Nick seemed to shake off his funk and actually laughed at her.

“When you were busy scouring that fridge did you even look at its contents?”

She was about to ask what that was supposed to mean but stopped short as she pulled open the door and saw for herself what he’d meant.

“Greg doesn’t really cook Sara.”

”I can see that. So what, does he live off of coffee?”

Nick reached around her and opened the freezer door.

“And ice cream,” she said with a nod. “That explains so much.”

”Take out too,” Nick continued, “Lots of take out. I don’t think he’s ever turned the stove on.”

“Well, I’m not much better,” Sara admitted.

“None of us really have the time.”

Nick’s phone came to life in the background.

He walked over, picked it up and frowned at the digital display.

“Stokes,” he said into it.

Sara looked at him hopefully. Maybe they’d been found. Maybe this was the call.

”Yeah, I’ll be there in half an hour.”

Nick hung it up and shook his head at Sara’s expression.

“Sorry, just work. Got a robbery at a jewelry shop near the strip. Apparently I’m the only one available.”

Sara caught the bitterness in his voice and could relate. While they’d both been told to go home and wait everyone else was out actually doing something to bring Greg and Grissom back. It wasn’t easy.

“I’ll see you later,” Nick said now pulling on his jacket, “Probably at the lab.”

”Call me if you hear anything.”

”You too,” Nick said as he waved once and left.

Sara sat down and checked the time once more. It was still early in the day, to soon to go to work. All she could do now was watch the clock and wait.

****

Catherine hated doing it, hated the sound in Nick’s voice when she’d done it, but she’d had no choice but to give him the assignment. She knew why Brass had sent him and Sara home. They were too close to this. Actually, she thought he might be justified in sending her and Warrick home too. They were all too close to this.

Still, she stayed. She stayed all day and well into the start of her shift. Catherine found it hard to leave.

They’d found nothing.

That day the helicopter had been called in.

It had showed up that afternoon and did an agonizing sweep of the original area to no avail.

It was almost dark now and they were fixing to pack it in when one of the rangers with them called out.

Catherine and Brass quickly made their way to the rock incline nearby.

“Found some strange indents,” he was saying pointing up near the side of the hill. “Nothing in nature made that.”

“Perfect rectangle,” Catherine said looking closer, “This spot would make a good shelter. They might have stayed here last night. That’s probably where Greg put his case down.”

Brass was nodding now as Catherine snapped off a few pictures.

“Got something up here.”

They all stepped out and looked up at Warrick above them.

“Notebook,” he said holding it out for them to see in his gloved hands. “Pen was still inside it, took some water damage but it’s in pretty good shape. I don’t think it was out here last night.”

”Bag it,” Catherine said feeling hopeful for the first time all day.

She looked at Brass and could tell he felt the same.

“They were here this morning at least,” Catherine said, “They could be nearby even.”

Brass was nodding even, but looked up gravely.

“I don’t think we’re going to have time to keep looking tonight.”

”You’re joking right?” she asked sounding nothing short of amazed, “Jim, they were here. We’ve got to keep looking. If we stop now we’ll have to start over again tomorrow. We’ve lost enough time. It took us…”

She stopped as she felt the first rain drops hit her head.

“Son of a bitch.”

”Catherine,” Brass said trying to calm her down.

“We need to get back,” the ranger was telling them now, “once the rain starts really going it rushes through these creeks at break neck speeds.”

Catherine let out a sigh of frustration as she pulled up the hood of her jacket and prepared herself for a long ride back. She was not looking forward to the rest of the night.


	5. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_Okay I think this is the last chapter of this one for awhile. I'm all angsted out right now and it's hard to write Greg/Sara shippy ness if I can't actually put them in the same room. :)_

**Night Four**

“Breaking news from channel ten action news. Yesterday we told you first about the search underway in the vicinity of La Madre Springs for two crime scene investigators gone missing. The two men Gilbert Grissom, 48, and Gregory Sanders, 29, were last seen three days ago during the course of investigating the stabbing death of Vincent Cusumano, 47. While officials have indicated that no foul play is suspected…”

The television anchor droned on in the crime lab’s break room as gradually people began to talk again.

“I thought they said they had breaking news,” Jacqui said gruffly, “This is the same crap they’ve been saying all day.”

Despite the relatively early hour in the night the lab was packed. Swing shift was still on duty and most of night shift had come in early hoping to get some new information about the search.

“I think they’re getting to it,” Archie said, eyes still glued to the set.

Sara, sitting nearest, reached over and turned the set up.

“…have found an indication that both men are still alive despite the record lows and torrential downpours experienced over the last two nights. A spokesperson for the lab would not state exactly what has been found. The spokesperson declined to comment on exactly how long the search would continue or when it would be deemed a recovery operation. Last summer when two campers were missing in that vicinity…”

”Turn if off,” Catherine said from the doorway. She’d changed but her hair was still damp from the ride out of the desert.

She knew where the news was going with that story. She’d inspected the remains herself on that case. The search for the campers had gone on for weeks but only upon finding the bodies did they discover that they’d died roughly the third night out. Sara knew it too and was quick to shut the set off.

“So what is this ‘indication’?” Bobby asked Catherine, quick and to the point.

She had it in her right hand. It was two evidence bags, one with what looked like a notebook and another with a pen.

“That’s Greg’s,” Sara said taking it out of Catherine’s hand and flipping it over.

“We figured,” she replied, “Come on, the guys are mapping it out now.”

Sara followed Catherine out of the room, not at all surprised that Bobby, Archie and Jacqui took it as an open invitation.

They all crowded into the AV room where Nick and Warrick had a map up on the wall and were marking the spots.

“Hey,” Warrick said briefly looking up at the group that entered the room, “this is what we’ve got. Victim was found here near La Madre Springs. We think this is where Griss and Greg started off about a quarter of a mile away. Now, we haven’t found any map that has the trail they were on listed, but it goes something like this.”

As Warrick talked he drew a line from their starting point to one that looked like it was near a series of creeks.

“This is where the notebook was found. It looked like they’d stopped for the night there as well, found indications of it under an overhang. They probably made it there last night and left this morning.”

”How far is that?” Archie asked.

“Twenty three miles,” Nick answered. He’d already done the calculations.

“Meaning,” Warrick picked up, “that they’re both in good condition.”

“So that’s it?” Jacqui asked, feeling a bit let down.

“Best we’ve got,” Warrick said with a sigh.

With mumbling and pretenses of starting work early, the three non-investigators left the room feeling slightly dejected. They’d each hoped for more. For better.

“Twenty-three miles,” Sara repeated looking the map over herself.

“Hard to believe isn’t it?” Catherine asked.

“Well yeah, especially since Greg won’t even walk down the street to get a pack of gum,” Nick answered with a smile.

Warrick laughed and shook his head.

“And this was as of yesterday?” Sara continued questioning, moving forward to look closer.

“They’re making great time,” Warrick answered, “It’s almost like they’ve got a destination in mind. It’s just that…”

”What?” Nick asked now, sounding concerned.

“We don’t know which way to go next.”

”Why’s that?” it was Sara’s turn to ask.

“Look,” Warrick said pointing to the map again. “I told you that the trail they were on goes this way.”

As he spoke he drew a dotted line that led off towards the creek beds, towards a wash and then further away the five-fifteen.

“We know that they at least spent the night on that trail, that’s where we found the case impressions.”

”Okay,” Nick said nodding and waiting for more.

“The notebook was found on top of the hillside. Up there is this trail.”

Warrick drew another dotted line with a different color that went more north.

“Now this trail is on the map and it leads back towards La Madre. The notebook wasn’t soaked, just damp so that means that they were up there sometime today.”

”Aside from the notebook,” Nick began, “is there any other indication that they switched paths?”

”Notebook is all we have,” Warrick said shaking his head.

“And it was on top of a hill?” Sara asked.

“More like a cliff,” Catherine answered, “Almost complete vertical climb.”

”Well, it was Greg’s,” Nick put in, “We’ve been rock climbing before, he knows how. What about Griss? Anyone know?”

”It’s not impossible,” Warrick said nodding, “I mean, I don’t know if he’s done it before but I haven’t and I made it up there pretty easily. There were some good places to get a footing.”

”So what?” Catherine started, “Do we think maybe Greg climbed up first, spotted the trail and then Grissom came up next? Maybe he left the notebook as a marker?”

Sara and Nick both shook their heads at this.

“I’ll believe all of that except that part about the notebook,” Nick said, “Honestly, I’m a little scared to see it here. I’ve never known Greg to be without it.”

”Yeah,” Sara said seriously, “he takes that everywhere he goes. He might have set it down but he didn’t leave it on purpose.”

”Okay, but the rest?” Catherine asked.

“I buy that,” Nick repeated as Warrick and Sara nodded in agreement.

“So I’ll call Brass,” Catherine said before making her exit, “let him know we have a new path to go down tomorrow.”

”We were so close,” Warrick said once she’d gone.

Nick and Sara nodded.

“Tomorrow,” he said more positive, turning to leave as well.

As Nick began putting away maps and turning off the overhead, Sara turned her attention back to the notebook she was still holding in the evidence bag.

“What are you doing?” Nick asked in a slightly accusatory tone.

“Nothing,” Sara said as she set it down to put on gloves.

Nick walked over to her just as she opened the bag and pulled out the notebook.

“Sara Sidle you are not going to read that.”

“I’m not going to read it; I just want to make sure it’s really his.”

”Because there are so many day-glow green notebooks just lying around the Nevada desert.”

”You never know,” she said setting it down on the table but not opening it just yet.

“Sara,” Nick said once more as he finished up. “Don’t. Okay, just don’t.”

Nick sounded so serious, so concerned. As if he knew what she might read would be upsetting.

“I know I shouldn’t,” she said putting her hand down on top of it for emphasis, “I know it’s private but I just… I don’t know… I just need to see something that’s him right now.”

Nick stared at her for second unsure what to think. Definitely having no idea what to say. He’d noticed the change as of late. Noticed they talked more, they had too of. They worked nearly all their cases together and if you gave Greg and opening he’d talk all night if you let him. But it wasn’t just that. Something about their friendship, Greg’s and Sara’s, had made her open up just a bit more too. It was a good thing for both of them, he was just surprised he hadn’t noticed how strong it had become.

“Alright,” Nick said holding up his hands, “but don’t say I didn’t warn you. He’s going to be mad at you when he finds out.”

Sara smiled at him as he turned to go, earning one in return.

Alone now she hesitated.

She really shouldn’t be reading this.

As soon as she’d seen it she’d known exactly what it was. The first time Sara had even noticed Greg carried it around was a little over four months ago. They’d been on their way to a scene almost at the state line. It was a long trip and she’d driven, Sara always drove. During it he’d just taken out the notebook and started flipping through it.

Now, truthfully, he’d probably done it a hundred times before, but that night she’d really noticed. When she asked what he was doing, he shut it quickly and smiled back at her asking ‘what’s it worth’ for her to find out.

Sara had laughed. Greg had given up flat out flirting with her long ago, but it was refreshing. She’d brushed him off, she always did, and waited five minutes to ask again.

This time he’d laughed. So she did the only thing she could do. Her secret weapon when it came to Greg. She’d looked at him, shrugged and said that she ‘didn’t want to know anyway’. After that all she had to do was wait.

Sure enough, after ten completely silent minutes he was telling he all about it.

It worked every time and she secretly wondered how he’d never caught on. Greg couldn’t seem to stand it when people didn’t want to know something. Maybe because he was so innately curious he couldn’t understand it. Or maybe he was just playing along with her, knowing she’d never beg for information so he’d just give in. Sara really didn’t know.

Now, looking down at the notebook she felt guilty.

Guilty because she really shouldn’t be looking at it. It wasn’t hers and he’d never offered it up for her to see.

It certainly was private.

And his.

And she couldn’t stop herself.

Sara flipped through it looking for the very last page where there was writing. It was pretty close to the end, he’d certainly accomplished a lot in all the years he’d kept this, ten from what he’d told her. In this notebook were all the things Greg had wanted to do and did over the last ten years.

Secretly she wondered what her own list would look like. If it would be so complete.

Her eyes scanned the pages without really seeing any of it. Not yet. Not until she reached the very last line. She shouldn’t be looking at any of this and promised to only read the very last line and that was it.

Sara wasn’t prepared for what she found.

She shut the book and then her eyes. When she opened them again she instinctively reopened the notebook as well to where she was still marking the spot with her hand. She read it again.

It could mean a number of things. It really could. She was probably making too much of it. After all, she didn’t think like Greg. No one thought like Greg.

But she had a good idea as to what it did mean.

Greg had been sick for weeks now. It had rained hard for at least one night, two counting this one. Despite them having walked so far there was no telling really what type of condition they were in.

She read it again trying to make it mean something different in her head but without much success.

MAKE IT OUT -- STANDING

Sara shut the book again. She should have listened to Nick.


	6. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_I felt neglectful and so I wrote the next chapter to this one. I may write one more before returning to 'Precious' but I'm not sure. Anyway, tell me what you think if anyone is still reading this. Is anyone still reading this? Sometimes I feel like I'm just posting to post. Hmmm. :P_

**Day Five**

This time neither of them took no for an answer. Sara and Nick were going out with them. The search party, finally having good weather and finally having found some indication of the two men, started early that day. They had a slight advantage this time. The new trail, the one they were assuming Grissom and Greg took because the notebook was so near to it, ended very near where the original crime scene had been found. It was Brass’ idea to have one half of the party start at that end and the other half work from where they’d stopped the day before. Despite basically splitting the trail, it was still going to be a long search.

Nick and Warrick were with the party starting at the stopping point and Sara and Brass were starting back near La Madre Springs. Catherine wasn’t able to make it today, having an ungodly amount of paperwork to file for both swings and graves. Ecklie had refused to make either Sara or Sofia acting supervisor and had instead put Catherine in charge of both shifts temporarily.

The day started off relatively mild and this trail was much smoother and easier to follow then the previous had been. All in all everyone was optimistic.

“You know,” Brass said to Sara as the walked along together at a slow but steady pace, searching as they went, “this isn’t the first time Gil’s been lost.”

”You’re kidding right?” Sara asked looking at him with a trace of a smile.

“No,” Brass said with a shake of his head, “He got lost once before. When I was still at the lab.”

”Lost like now?”

”Not exactly,” Brass said laughing a bit, “No. It was in a warehouse.”

”Now I know you’re joking.”

”Scout’s honor,” he returned with a smile, holding up his hand for effect. “It was him and Warrick. Warrick was still pretty new to the job, probably been on a year or so, and they’d had a suicide in one of those big storage warehouses up on the North end of town.”

”How come Warrick didn’t say something about this?” Sara asked, still not sure she believed it.

“Same reason you’ve probably never heard it from Grissom. It’s embarrassing.”

She laughed, knowing that was probably true.

“Well, what happened?”

”Okay,” Brass continued, “so they had this db. I’d sent them out at the start of shift and they’d taken a set of two-ways because they knew that it was a large building. Well they got there and processed the scene, body got taken away, all of that. They’d stuck around, looked for any remaining evidence, but now it was just the two of them. As they tell it, not long after that the lights go out. Apparently the security guard that had shown them in thought that once the body left, they’d gone with it and locked up for the remainder of the night.”

”What’d they do?” Sara asked.

”At first, nothing. You know Grissom. They were there might as well finish up first. So after they finish, they start looking for the exit. Three hours passed.”

”No,” Sara cut in disbelieving it.

“Yes,” Brass returned now almost laughing, “Three hours they looked for a door, a window, a phone. Anything. Found nothing but boxes and crates. Finally, back at the lab we started wondering where they were. So Catherine and I go down there, get the security guard and have him open up the place again. As soon as the lights go back on we hear Warrick yell.”

“Then what?”

”Then I drew my gun. I figured, why would they be yelling if they weren’t in trouble? It took us ten minutes to find them. In the dark they’d pretty much been wandering in circles. I don’t think I’ve seen Gil more irritated, but only with himself.”

”That sounds about right.”

”Anyways, we all had a good laugh about it after the fact but for a few minutes there it was intense.”

Sara nodded, having a good feeling why he was telling her this story. He thought they’d be fine. That they’d find them soon, maybe today even, and later they’d all have another good laugh.

“So you give them hell about it?” Sara asked with another smile.

“Oh, of course I did. In fact, he’s in for some more when we do catch up to them. I’m sure everyone thinks this is Sanders’ fault, but I’m not so sure. Lost twice with rookies, it doesn’t look good for Gil. He’s never going to live this one down.”

Sara laughed again and so did he. It felt nice. For the first time since day one, they both felt some optimism.

****

At noon the three investigators had to call it quits. Warrick was just as beat as Sara and Nick, having gotten little to no sleep himself this week. All of them wondered how Brass was doing it; he alone showed no signs of fatigue.

They all headed back to the lab only to find Catherine still at work, this time on the phone in her office. Hanging up rather abruptly she looked to each of them asking if they had any news.

“Nothing,” Warrick answered sitting down in front of her desk.

“They’re going to stay out all night if the weather holds,” Sara added.

“You all look exhausted,” Catherine commented. “How hot is it today? I haven’t seen daylight yet.”

”In the eighties,” Nick answered this time, “I hope they had water with them.”

”Greg had some in his case,” Sara assured, “at least a few bottles.”

”Well,” Catherine said with a nod, “Do you want the bad news now or should I buy lunch first?”

”Lunch,” Warrick said with a smile.

They all nodded and agreed, it took very little time for them to head down the street to their favorite diner.

It was a little strange, it being just the four of them. Greg had never really gone on their group breakfasts before the shifts were split, but since then Sara, Sofia, Grissom and Greg had gone out numerous times. She knew the same was true for Catherine, Nick and Warrick. Sara kind of felt like the odd man out now.

After ordering they all looked at Catherine expectantly.

“Ecklie wants us to help graves cover their case load,” she said, directing her comments to Nick and Warrick.

Nick was already nodding. He knew Ecklie wasn’t going to bring in extra help.

“Well, we’ve already been doing that,” Warrick said not sure that really warranted the term ‘bad news’.

“There’s more,” Catherine said, taking a sip of water to steady herself, “In two more days they’re ending the search.”

”After a week?” Sara asked, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

Catherine nodded, looking down a bit.

“They can’t do that,” Nick said, “that’s too soon. What’s their reason?”

”They say that there hasn’t been significant proof that they’re still alive. That we are in fact nearing them. That and the weather, they’re assuming that the elements will have gotten to them by then.”

Warrick rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

“They’re going to send out the helicopter at least once more,” Catherine said as reassuringly as possible, “Take one more good sweep of the area.”

”What else can we do?” Sara asked, trying to keep her voice and emotions in check. She could not believe they were giving up like this.

“Very little,” Catherine answered. She knew that because she’d already tried.

“Does Brass know?” Nick asked.

Catherine just shook her head.

Their food arrived but no one felt hungry anymore. They each picked silently at their plates before finally giving up all pretenses of eating and just paying before they left.

Nick, Warrick and Catherine, their shift almost starting, went straight back to the lab to shower and change before beginning work again. Sara first went home before leaving for Greg’s place to check once more on Chloe and fulfill a promise.

She changed the dog’s water and food, let her out back and then reached for her cell phone. Last night she’d programmed in Katie’s number but she was hesitant to dial it. She wanted to let Greg’s sister know that they’d found signs of them still being alive and well, but she didn’t want to say anymore. Not yet.

Finally willing herself to do it, it rang twice before it was picked up.

“Hello.”

”Hi, Katie?” Sara asked into the phone unsure if it was her or not.

“This is her.”

”It’s Sara Sidle, from Vegas.”

”Greg’s friend, yeah,” Katie returned, her voice sounding nervous, “Did you find him? Is Greg okay?”

”We haven’t found him yet,” Sara answered, “but we did find something of Greg’s last night so we know we’re not that far behind them.”

”So you may find him soon?” she asked, her voice suddenly much sunnier sounding. Sara cringed. Didn’t want to say that if they didn’t soon they never would. Wouldn’t say it.

“We think so. The search is going much better today. I was out most of the morning or I would have called sooner. We know what trail they’re on and it’s a much easier one to follow.”

”That’s great,” she said and Sara could almost hear the tears in her voice.

“I wish I had more to tell you,” Sara said honestly.

“No, this is great. Really. You don’t know what it’s like here, I’m supposed to be studying and instead I’m just surfing the net trying to find anything.”

”Well, don’t take everything you read on those news sites seriously. They only have half the story most of the time.”

”That’s good to know,” she said sounding relieved, “I thought you were calling to tell me something else. I just read online that they were calling off the search soon. But if you’re so close, that can’t be true.”

Sara shut her eyes and mentally cursed. Damn reporters. She didn’t think it would be made public so soon.

“Sara?” the girl asked on the other end of the line, the nervousness back. “That’s not true, is it?”

Sara let out a sigh as she opened her eyes. She couldn’t lie. Katie deserved to hear the truth, even if it was a hard one.

“Katie,” she started, surprised at the hitch in her throat but struggling to continue.

This wasn’t going to be easy.


	7. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_I'm just okay with this chapter, not my favorite._

**Night Five**

By the time most of swing and night shift had rolled into work they’d all heard the news. The local stations were all saying that the search had officially become a recovery operation and that they latest lead had come up a dead end.

Every five minutes someone was popping their head into Catherine’s office asking her if it was true, what was going on, a thousand other questions she couldn’t answer.

What’s worse is she just got off the phone with a very angry Mrs. Faulkner. Greg’s mother was apparently enraged, which had surprised Catherine because judging from their last conversation she’d assumed the woman was devoid of feeling. But apparently she was only callous when it came to her son. Her youngest daughter, Kathleen, was very upset and Mrs. Faulkner didn’t want anyone else from the lab contacting anyone but her from this point on.

This was all news to Catherine as she hadn’t been aware anyone from the lab had been contacting Kathleen or any one else in Greg’s family for that matter. It didn’t take long to figure out who it had been, Mrs. Faulkner had a name. Sara Sidle.

Catherine, really not looking forward to the discussion she knew she had to have with Sara, was delaying it as long as possible. But it couldn’t wait forever. Mrs. Faulkner had assured Catherine that she would be contacting the lab director herself, Conrad Ecklie, to make her grievances further known.

That’s just what they needed right now.

“Cath,” Nick called from the doorway, “got a minute?”

”Depends, are you going to ask me about what they’re saying on the news?”

”No.”

”Come on in,” she said receiving a smile in return.

“Brass called,” Nick said sitting down, “wanted us all here. He’s got something new I guess to tell us about the search.”

”Well, if he left early it can’t be good,” Catherine sighed as she looked at her watch, it was ten to eight.

Nick said nothing, just nodded.

“Do you know if Sara has been calling Kathleen Faulkner?” Catherine asked after a pause.

“Katie?” he asked, not really liking the look he received in return.

“Did you call her too?”

”No,” Nick said, “but only because she didn’t ask for me. She called a few nights ago looking for you, when you weren’t here she asked for Sara. Why?”

”Why?” Catherine returned, “Greg’s mother is why. She’s livid. Doesn’t want us talking to anyone but her.”

”Catherine,” Nick started, “Katie asked Sara to call her with information. You know Sara wouldn’t just…”

”It doesn’t matter what I know. No one calls her and if she calls here, you direct her to me. Or Ecklie. Got it?”

Nick nodded and stood.

“Brass should be here soon,” he said as he left, shutting the door behind him.

Catherine sighed once more, hating this job and not for the first time.

Nick made his way down the hall, jaw set and eyes looking straight ahead. It was fairly easy to see he was mad and no one had to ask why. There were really very few things that set him off, but the lab by and large knew it was best to just stay out of his way when one of those things did.

He went straight to the locker room and was relieved to find Sara already there.

“Heads up,” he said to her, coming over and talking in a near whisper, “Catherine is going to talk to you about Katie Faulkner. Greg’s mother apparently went on the war path. You called her today didn’t you?”

”I had too. I promised I would.”

”What did you say?” Nick asked, leaning in closer.

Sara looked at him and for a moment couldn’t read him. She could see he was mad, thought he might even be mad at her and that thought fueled her own emotions.

“I told her the truth,” she snapped.

”That they’re calling off the search?” he asked, disbelieving it.

“I had too.”

Nick shook his head and stepped back.

“Nick, it was already on the news. She was getting half-truths from every news station online in Vegas.”

”She’s a kid.”

”She’s seventeen,” Sara countered as she slammed the door shut. “And she was scared. Her mother wasn’t telling her anything so she was just left to imagine the worse.”

”Sara,” Nick said, his voice losing all of its previous anger, “I know you were only doing what was right, I’d of done the same, but I don’t think Ecklie is going to see it that way.”

”Ecklie?” she asked and now she knew where his anger was coming from.

“You don’t need this kind of trouble.”

”I’ll be fine.”

“Sara…”

”Just let me worry about it,” she said pushing past him and down the hall.

Nick was right behind her. Feeling worse then he had before. Angrier even, but mostly with himself. Wondering, not for the first time, what it must be like to be in Sara’s shoes right now. Grissom and Greg were the only ones who had stood by her and now they were gone. She’d had a rough year and he hadn’t really been much of a friend to her as of late. Nick planned on rectifying that, if it wasn’t too late.

Brass saw them both in the hall and waved them into the AV room. Warrick and Catherine were already inside.

“So what is going on?” Warrick asked Brass as soon as he shut the door.

“Search has been temporarily called off.”

”Why?” Catherine asked now, “News said something about a dead end.”

”Yeah, you could say that,” Brass said sitting down and sweeping a hand across his brow, “About two hours ago we ran into something.”

”What?” Catherine asked again, obviously concerned. Each of them momentarily fearing the worse. A body. Maybe two.

“The other half of the search team.”

”What?” Nick asked, echoing Catherine’s earlier question.

“We started on one end, the other half started on the other and we met in the middle two hours ago without finding a thing.”

”So they weren’t on that trail,” Warrick said flatly as he shook his head.

“Doesn’t look like it,” Brass said, his voice the same tone.

“So they went down the other one,” Nick said trying to be optimistic. “We were wrong, tomorrow we just…”

”It’s not just that Nicky,” Brass broke in, “We did find something or something found us I guess.”

They all looked at him expectantly, waiting for the explanation. Waiting for what looked like the real bad news of the day.

“This afternoon a concerned citizen turned this in,” Brass said as he fished something out of his jacket and handed it first to Nick. He hadn’t bothered with an evidence bag and opening it Nick understood why. It was still soaked, there was no way they would get anything like prints off of it. Not that they needed it. Checking the ID, Nick’s felt the blood leave his face.

“Where’d they find it?” he asked before handing it over to Warrick.

“Up past the strip, near Tropicana.”

Warrick had looked and passed it on to Catherine who sighed upon seeing its contents.

“We’re assuming now that they took the other trail,” Brass said as he went over to the map they’d used the night before and illustrated it in pen, “that sort of leads up into these creeks. Tomorrow a copter is going to trace the path of the run off the wallet was found in up to about this point.”

Brass indicated about the spot on the map that the trail would have naturally run into one or more of the creeks in that canyon.

Catherine, as he spoke, absently handed the wallet off to Sara who didn’t open it just yet.

“So is this why they’re calling it a recovery now?” she asked instead.

Brass nodded before he continued.

“Chances are if that wallet was in the water…”

He didn’t have to finish it. They knew what he meant.

Sara opened the wallet and was immediately accosted by Greg’s smiling face. He smiled in every picture she’d ever seen of him; she wondered why she was so surprised to see it now on his driver’s license.

“So is it just him or do we think…”

Sara wasn’t even sure how she started that question, knew she couldn’t finish it. She was gripping the wallet now so tight her knuckles were white from the effort.

“We assume that if one of them went in, it’s likely they both did. The wallet confirms that at least Sanders was in the water at some point, whether he fell in first or second no one can say.”

”When’s the helicopter going up?” Nick asked after clearing his throat.

“Eight tomorrow morning. I can take two of you with me, three if we squeeze in.”

“Why don’t you three go,” Catherine said with a nod. It was an easy choice. She could see on each of their faces that they’d wanted to be picked, she was probably the only person in the room that couldn’t stomach the thought. Catherine knew she wouldn’t be able to take that flight. To be the one that possibly…

“Are you sure?” Warrick asked, leaning in to her now, not sure how to take this kind of response.

Catherine nodded once more.

“Okay,” Brass said, “I’ll see you guys then.”

Brass left without a goodbye and the room felt heavy.

“Alright,” Catherine said after a few minutes of silence passed, “we’ve got cases to run.”

Catherine stood now to emphasis her point but no one else moved. She’d planned on talking with Sara before this meeting but couldn’t bring herself to do it now. Instead, like Brass before her, she turned to go without another word.

“God,” Sara said shaking her head, “this is really happening.”

Both men knew exactly how she felt.

Sara, unable to take the silence anymore, was ready to be moving. Handing the wallet back to Nick she stopped momentarily. Their eyes met briefly before Sara turned and was gone.

Warrick left right after Sara leaving Nick alone.

Nick flipped the wallet over a few times before pocketing it. He probably should put it in the evidence locker but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Sara had said it best, ‘this is really happening.’


	8. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_Okay, last chapter of this one for awhile. I've only got four left but I'm giving it a break to work on 'Precious' again. I estimate time of completion to be sometime before my kids embark for college, give or take a few years. :) Feedback? You know you want too!_

**Day Six**

Sara tried not to let her fear of heights get to her. Not today. But hovering, and there really was no better way to describe it, literally hovering over the city of Las Vegas wasn’t an easy thing for her. Still, she didn’t complain.

Sara sat right next to Brass and opposite Nick. She and Nick were looking out the left side, Warrick and Brass the east. The four of them sat facing each other, binoculars in hand peering out the windows.

It was slow work.

They’d started at eight, nearly four hours ago, and whether it be fortunate or not had yet to spot anything significant.

Part of her was glad. Extremely glad. As long as there were no bodies to spot she could hold out hope a little longer. But it was waning.

The other part of her, the realist, knew that in order for anyone to have closure on this they needed their bodies. It was a tough thought but true. If they never found Grissom or Greg part of them would always wonder what really happened.

And they all needed to know that.

The cement runoff that Greg’s wallet had been found in turned into a shallow creek just outside of the city. The followed that up into the hills and canyons where the supposed trail Grissom and Greg should have intersected it. The creek still had running water in it and they’d been told by park services that it regularly flooded. It was very unlikely that a body would have gotten far as it was also overgrown with trees and branches. The party had circled back several times to recheck thicker groves over and over throughout the day. So far, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The search went on until they’d almost run out of creek to search.

“Anything?” Brass asked over the radio headset they each wore. They all heard the uneasiness in his voice.

Sara shook her head as Nick and Warrick both gave verbal negatives.

“Isn’t this about as far up as the trail?” Warrick asked, casting a brief glance at Brass.

“Yeah,” was the curt reply.

After circling for the fourth time Sara felt Nick press her foot with his. She looked up and he met her eyes and then looked out the window. Leaning in, aware he didn’t want to say anything to raise any expectations she watched as he silently pointed. Straining for several seconds she saw it. Her short nod was enough for Nick.

“Brass,” he said into his radio, “I think we got something over here.”

”What?” he asked, both him and Warrick turning at once.

“It’s shiny,” Sara said picking up her binoculars for a better look, “small.”

”I think it’s a phone,” Nick said.

Brass nodded and then contacted the pilot.

It took them fifteen minutes to find a suitable place to land and another fifteen to walk down to the creek.

“About where was it?” Warrick asked as they looked around the area.

“Looked different from the air,” Nick said with a shake of his head. “Over here I think.”

They walked towards the edge of the creek near a tree whose roots had overgrown into the embankment. Near it Nick found what he’d been looking for.

Nick, putting on gloves, crouched down and picked it up.

“Lab issue,” he said as he flipped it open, “Batteries either dead or the water fried it. Won’t start but…”

Nick trailed off as he realized that the other three hadn’t joined him. Were still about ten feet away, staring even.

“What?” he asked standing.

Warrick gave a slight nod of his head at the tree, the part still in the water.

“What?” he asked again, not sure what they meant.

“Come over here Nicky,” Brass said, waving him over as he spoke.

Nick turned round, facing the tree and creek as he walked backwards. After several feet he saw what had stopped them. It hadn’t been visible from so close up and he’d been so intent on the phone he’d never seen it.

“Something hit it,” he said his voice in awe.

“Someone hit it,” Brass corrected.

You could see the broken branches where the impact had been made. The current wasn’t fast now, but rushing off the mountains as it had been a few days ago it would have been much swifter. Too strong to swim in. A person falling in would have been forced to go whichever way the current carried them. And someone had been carried down stream and hit this tree, hard.

Reluctant, they all approached it now. The breaks in the branches were still fresh. Warrick snapped a few pictures, letting out a sigh.

“Give me a hand here,” Warrick said to Nick, putting the camera down and pulling out his tweezers.

Leaning out as far as he dared, Warrick snatched something off one of the lower branches. Nick stood by, ready to pull him back if he needed the help but Warrick managed without him.

“What do you think,” he said holding up the scrap, “denim?”

“Looks like it,” Sara agreed knowing that meant it was Greg. Grissom hardly ever wore jeans to a scene.

Nick was now looking over the edge into the water. Down into the murky water. After a minute they all were.

It was definitely dark enough to hide a body. It looked deep enough too.

“What do you think?” Brass asked him.

Nick just nodded.

They all continued to stare down at the water as if a face would just appear. Rise up and greet them.

“Let’s look around first,” Warrick suggested, knowing that the other two men were thinking about going in to remove any doubt.

Sara agreed right away. She was suddenly wishing she’d opted out like Catherine had. Not sure she could see it. Them. Either of them. Dead and cold. Bloated and waterlogged. It was too much to think about.

The each scanned about, looking for anything obvious. Sara headed off towards a group of trees that looked like a fairly good shelter.

As she got closer, she was amazed to see what looked like two easily identifiable indents. It had rained for the past three nights so they couldn’t be too old. Kneeling down near the marks she could see that they were nearly side by side. It was easy to imagine they’d both been here, each leaned against a tree, possibly sleeping through the night.

“Nick,” she called out.

He didn’t waste time asking what she’d found, just came over to see for himself.

“Does that look like blood?” she asked.

“We can find out,” Nick said opening his case and swabbed the area she’d indicated.

It looked a few days old at least, the rain had sheltered the spot but it still diluted the sample. Sure enough, it came back positive.

“We can type it at the lab,” Nick said bagging the sample, “We’ve got them both on file, see whose it is.”

”Well,” Sara said looking back at the creek, “it’s got to be Greg’s. His wallet was found, denim on the branches. Looks like he made it out.”

”Sara,” Nick started warmly, “don’t get your hopes up. He could have been hurt before he…before.”

”Hey,” she said ignoring that last part and picking something up off to the side, “duct tape?”

She’d found a discarded piece, like someone had torn off too much.

“Well considering the rain, there’s still a lot of blood here. Someone bled a lot. They might have used it to stop the flow.”

Sara nodded. They’d of used whatever they had handy. Whatever Greg had carried in his case.

“Find anything?” Warrick asked, joining them now.

“Some blood,” Sara supplied, “duct tape. We think they stayed here at least one night.”

”I think I found something better,” Warrick said, moving away and indicating for them to follow.

They didn’t walk far.

“That doesn’t happen on accident,” Nick said shaking his head with a small smile playing on his lips.

Someone, either Greg or Grissom, had left them an arrow out of driftwood. It pointed down the incline, back to the trail.

“Look at this,” Warrick said, pointing to one of the felled trees. It was easy to see someone had broken off one of the larger branches.

“He made a crutch,” Sara said sounding bright for the first time in days, “Greg must have fell in somehow, hit that tree and hurt his leg. But he got out and Grissom made him a crutch.”

Nick nodded. He could buy that. Wanted too.

Warrick nodded as well, less optimistic but this was something. No way either one of them walked away from here if the other drown. There was just no way. Sara’s explanation was the only one.

The three of them met back up with Brass and quickly caught him up. He didn’t hesitate to get with the copter pilot before pulling out the maps for a review.

“Look at this,” Brass said pointing it out to them, “We’re about seventeen miles from country one-oh-eight. This trail looks like it heads straight for it. They might be out on that road now.”

”Let’s go,” Nick said not wanting to waste anymore time.

“Can’t,” the pilot returned, “we’ve got enough fuel to get back to McCarran and that’s it.”

”We’ll radio back,” Brass assured him, “have uniforms start patrolling it. They might already be there.”

”What if they went this way,” Warrick said, moving his hand down the map in the opposite direction, “They don’t have a map. They don’t know that they’re that close to real road.”

The other direction was longer, through the Dead Land Wash, but still bordered by the five-fifteen.

”I’ll have them go up and down that road as well,” Brass said with a nod, “Cover all bets. Who knows, we may just catch a break.”

”It’s about time,” Warrick returned.

”You guys got everything you need?” Brass asked, eager to spread the word and continue the search.

“Yeah,” Nick answered, “we’re good.”

”Good,” Brass said nodding once to the pilot. “Let’s get this bird in the air.”

They all got in and strapped themselves down. It wasn’t as good as actually finding them alive, but at least now they had hope again. It was more then they’d imagined they’d have at the end of the day. Much more then they’d believed possible but it really looked as if Grissom and Greg were still out there, still moving forward.

They were still alive.


	9. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_Another quick chapter on this one before I get back to 'Precious'. Not sure which I will continue next... loving them both right now so it's hard to say. :) Feedback, it's what's for dinner!_

**Night Six**

Their first stop upon returning was to go straight to the DNA lab. After that it was trace. They dropped off their findings without elaborating and then, en masse, headed straight for Catherine’s office. It wasn’t a surprise to find Sofia there with her waiting for their return.

The lab was alive with a steady buzz of gossip and speculation about what had or had not been found. Rumors were already circulating ranging from that they’d found both Greg and Grissom’s bodies floating in a creek to that they’d both been found alive and well. Neither of course was true, hardly any of them were even close, but neither Sara, Nick nor Warrick made a single comment on them until first speaking with Catherine.

“Well?” she asked standing up as soon as they came into the room.

Sofia looked as nervous as Catherine. Scared that they were both about to be told the absolute worst.

“No luck,” Warrick said after shutting the door soundly behind him.

“But no bodies,” Catherine returned sounding relieved and returning to her seat.

“Right,” Warrick said nodding.

“Did you find anything?” Sofia asked.

“Yeah actually,” Nick answered, “We know now that they stayed on the first trail. Found Greg’s phone near the creek embankment so we think that he might have fell in and got out again.”

”But you’re not positive,” Sofia cut in to which Nick shook his head.

“He’s alive,” Sara said firmly. “Both of them. We don’t know what Greg was doing in that creek but he climbed out, we’ve got proof.”

”Sara,” Warrick said to her for what couldn’t have been the first time, “its speculation. We don’t know…”

“The phone was found next to that tree,” she started, “and we know he hit that tree while he was in the water. He must have gotten out and then dropped it.”

“That’s a good theory,” Warrick argued, “I just think…”

”And we know that they slept near that creek,” Sara said cutting him off once more, “That Grissom, probably, left directions to where they were going and that he made Greg a crutch. We know that.”

Catherine looked first from Sara to Nick and then Warrick. Nick, she could tell, believed like Sara. That they were both alive and still moving. Warrick seemed less certain. He wanted more proof before he’d get his hopes too high.

“Did you get anything else?” Sofia asked, effectively defusing the situation.

“Some blood evidence and a swatch of what looked like denim,” Nick answered again. “We dropped them off with Mia and Hodges. They’re both probably Greg’s.”

“Did you rush them?” Catherine asked, knowing they had even before they all nodded in near unison.

“Brass sent out patrols on the one-oh-eight and the five-fifteen,” Warrick said now, “the trail looks like it’s heading for one or the other. Thought they may be on it now.”

”Good,” Catherine said smiling, hopeful herself.

“We’re going to go down the one-oh-eight tomorrow and see if we can find out if that trail hits it or not,” Nick supplied.

“What time?” Sofia asked.

“Early,” Sara answered. “As soon as shift ends.”

”We’ll all go,” Catherine said in a tone that put any argument to rest. “But now I want everyone working their current cases. Okay?”

Everyone nodded, stood to go, Sofia included. Before Sara could leave Catherine asked her to wait. Sitting back down, expecting this to have happened sooner, Sara tried to reign in her temper.

“Ecklie asked me today why you were contacting Kathleen Faulkner,” Catherine said flatly.

“I told you…”

”I told him,” Catherine said holding up a hand and silencing her momentarily, “that I asked you too.”

”What?”

”I told him that she had called here first and asked to speak with you. I saw nothing wrong with that since aside from Nick you know Greg better then the rest of us and you spoke to her at my request.”

”Catherine…”

”I doubt Ecklie will ask you himself, but in case he does I expect you to say just that.”

Sara nodded and accepted it.

“Why don’t you take the night off?” Catherine asked now. “We’ll be fine and you can use the rest before tomorrow.”

”I’d really rather stay,” Sara said evenly.

“Good,” Catherine said and it was clear she wasn’t finished yet. “I need to ask you something else and I’m not really sure how to do it.”

Sara looked at her in surprise, but didn’t speak. She knew Catherine was working out the wording in her head and she could be patient.

“I got a call today from a Greg Sanders.”

Sara raised an eyebrow at her but continued to hold her tongue.

“He said he was Greg’s father but...”

”You weren’t sure,” Sara supplied.

She shrugged and waited for Sara to give her something.

“I don’t know how much I can tell you. Greg’s really never said much about him.”

”But you were the only one who knew they’d never met,” Catherine stated as fact.

“Yeah,” Sara said with a shrug, “I guess so.”

”What did he say?”

”Why is it so important?” Sara asked in return.

“Because I need to know if this man is really his father and not some reporter making guesses and trying to get more information.”

Sara nodded now, understanding that.

“Greg was named after his father,” Sara offered now, still not comfortable telling what she knew was something of a secret. But still, she saw the necessity of it. She just hoped Greg would once they found him. “They’d never met. Greg told me his father came here about a year ago looking for him but he wouldn’t go see him.”

“Where does he live, do you know?”

”San Francisco.”

”Didn’t Greg go to college there?” Catherine asked.

“Yeah,” Sara said not willing to let go of any more information then that. Knowing if she said anymore she was crossing a line.

But Catherine seemed to take it at face value.

“Is that where he said he was calling from?” Sara asked and Catherine nodded.

“What did he ask? What did you say?”

”He asked if it was true. What we knew. If we expected to find him alive. Knew Greg’s full name, date of birth but not much else. I told him I couldn’t release any more information but now…”

”Now you’re thinking of calling him back,” Sara finished.

“I am,” Catherine said.

“I’m not sure Greg would want that.”

”I know,” Catherine said quietly. She’d been debating it in her head all night. “But he is his father…”

”Who Greg has never met,” Sara added.

“Still.”

Sara shrugged and said no more. It was Catherine’s call at this point.

“Are we done?” Sara asked growing impatient.

Catherine smiled and said nothing more, just nodded indicating they were. Sara was relieved. She got up and left without another word heading down the hall towards DNA.

“Got anything yet?” Sara asked Mia who looked up at her taken aback.

“You’re going to have to give me a little more time,” Mia returned with a soft smile. “I’m not a miracle worker.”

”How long?” Sara asked.

Mia blinked a few times, taken back. Sara meant business. Meant it now and she wasn’t exactly use to demands like this. She was only here early as a courtesy but this was going too far.

“Well?” Sara asked again when she didn’t get an answer.

“It takes time. I can tell you that the blood type is a match for Greg, O positive.”

”Anything else?”

”Actually,” Mia said with a slight nod, “the blood sample was diluted.”

”It was out in the rain,” Sara supplied but Mia was already shaking her head.

“No, it wasn’t that. It was some type of chemical. Nick took it over to Hodges just before you came in.”

”Thanks,” Sara said as she made her way out.

“I’ll page you when I know,” Mia called out and Sara smiled at her in thanks.

Hurrying now down to the trace lab, Nick was still inside as if his presence alone might hurry Hodges along.

David Hodges looked up on seeing Sara enter and let out a very audible sigh.

“I’m telling you the same thing I told Stokes, not that he listened,” Hodges said as he looked back into his microscope, “but I can only work so fast.”

Nick rolled his eyes and Sara smiled at him. They knew there was no love lost between Greg and Hodges, but they’d hoped for better considering Grissom was involved as well. They waited regardless. They’d stay there all night if they had too.

“Interesting,” Hodges said as he pulled away from the slides.

“What?” Nick asked stepping closer.

“Isopropyl alcohol,” Hodges said stepping back and letting Nick look.

“In his blood?” Nick asked as he peered into the scope.

“Probably on,” Hodges guessed.

“Rubbing alcohol,” Sara said with a nod, “That’s what was diluting the sample?”

Hodges nodded.

“Makes sense,” Nick said stepping back and letting Sara look. “If Greg cut his leg deep enough to need a crutch, to leave trace amounts of blood that lasted through at least one night of rain, they had to clean it with something. Make sure it didn’t get infected.”

”That swatch of fabric,” Hodges offered now moving to another microscope, “is definitely denim. Not much else I can give you there.”

”Thanks,” Sara said and Nick echoed the sentiment before they both left.

“So,” Nick said as they walked off towards the break room, “what did Cath say?”

”Not much,” Sara said preferring to keep it quiet.

Nick just nodded and didn’t press.

Archie came up to them almost as soon as they were in the door.

“Did you guys find anything today?” he asked.

“Nothing substantial,” Nick said now opting for Warrick’s casual optimist approach, “but enough to go back out tomorrow.”

”So you think they’re still…”

”Yeah,” Sara said firmly, “I do.”

Archie smiled at her and left the room ready to work. It was all he needed to hear.

Warrick joined them not long after they’d arrived, sitting down heavily on the couch. They all looked and felt exhausted but would have been happy to have somewhere to go. No one wanted to stay idle. Unfortunately tonight the criminals weren’t cooperating.

“Can’t we just drive out there now?” Sara asked after several minutes of silence.

“No,” Catherine said from the doorway startling them all. “We need to stay here ready for any case that might come in. We can’t do that from all the way out there.”

Sara nodded reluctantly. It had been worth a try.

Again there was silence.

“Anyone hungry?” Nick asked.

Soon they were all back at the diner down the street on a break. They all ordered and chatted about non-issues throughout the meal.

No one wanted to say just how long of a night they were in for.


	10. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_See[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) I can take a hint. *grin*_

**The Last Day**

They took two SUVs that morning.

As soon as shifted ended, just a minute after eight, the six of them set out. Brass, Catherine and Sofia in one car, Warrick, Nick and Sara in the other.

It was quite a long drive, something they’d never noticed before. Maybe it was the anticipation. The fact that everyone was so positive that today was the day. The search had been extended when the DNA match came up positive late last night as belonging to Greg. Ecklie had been notified and on the verge of coming along with them but some quick thinking on Catherine’s part, the subtle mention of a press conference, changed his mind.

They were driving on country one-oh-eight, a fairly desolate two lane back road. To further slow them down, they were only going about thirty to thirty-five miles an hour. They didn’t want to take the chance that Greg and Grissom might be traveling just off the road and miss them entirely.

The two-way rang in the car Warrick was driving.

“Yeah,” Nick said talking into it while still looking out his side of the vehicle.

“Sofia spotted a side road about a quarter of a mile back,” Catherine’s voice came through. “We’re turning round up here and taking it.”

Sure enough, as Catherine said it Brass pulled the first SUV over onto the side of the road before flipping back in the other direction.

“Do you want us to follow?” Nick asked.

“Yeah Nicky,” Catherine answered. “Looking at the map it’s about where that trail should have led out too. Brass thinks maybe with Greg hurt it slowed them down. That they might still be on it.”

”We’re right behind you,” Nick replied before setting the radio back down.

Warrick was already following Brass’ lead by this time and about where Sofia had said it was, they saw the road.

“How’d you miss that?” Nick chided Sara since it was on her side.

Sara said nothing in return, just gave him a fleeting but amused glance.

The going now was even slower. Even though they were in rugged vehicles the road was in such bad shape that their speed was reduced to just about ten miles an hour.

Just as they were about to call it quits and abandon the path the road got better and the beginnings of a fence appeared. Another five miles down the road and they spotted something unexpected. A house.

Both SUV’s pulled up to it and immediately stopped.

“Doesn’t look like anyone’s home,” Warrick said to Brass as he got out of the SUV.

Brass shook his head. The place was abandoned; it was pretty easy to see. It was a pretty typical looking two-story farmhouse with peeling paint and an overgrown yard.

“They might be here,” Sofia offered, “If Greg was really hurt they might not have been able to go any further.”

Catherine and Brass headed up to the front door as Sara and Sofia head around back. Nick and Warrick went the only direction left, off towards the barn.

Brass was relieved it had worked that way. He assumed if they were still there they were in the house. And if it was bad, he’d rather he saw it first even if he wasn’t entirely sure how Catherine would take it.

“Windows have been wiped,” Catherine noted.

Sure enough, it was easy to see that fairly recently some of the dirt on two of the windows fronting the house had been cleared off as if someone had looked inside.

Brass tried the door and it came open without any effort.

“Well, they were here at some point,” Catherine said walking straight away toward the silver case next to the couch.

Brass didn’t answer; he was going from room to room looking for the worst before Catherine could find it. Catherine didn’t seem to notice, she was opening the case as she squatted beside it, looking for what might be missing.

“Found Greg’s iPod,” Catherine remarked to a Brass that was no longer there. He’d already made his way upstairs.

Turning round now she stood and with an inquisitive look.

“Jim?” she called.

“Catherine,” she heard in reply, “You might want to see this.”

Catherine made her way up the stairs, two at a time, worried. Brass was at the end of the hallway upstairs, looking into the room before him.

He turned to her and she found that her voice didn’t quite work.

“It’s not them…”

“No,” Brass cut in hastily, “No Catherine, it’s not. It’s just, I don’t know what it is.”

Catherine moved past Brass to have a look. The room was in disarray. The walls around the bed were covered in dried blood splatter. On the bed itself was the skeletal remains of the victim, the skull was nearly crushed.

“Wow,” Catherine let out, still not entering the room, “this has got to be ten, fifteen years old at least.”

”At least,” Brass echoed. “Did you find anything downstairs?”

”Yeah, I…”

”Catherine,” Nick’s call interrupted. They both turned at the sound of his voice coming from the top of the steps.

“What have you got?” she asked, momentarily forgetting the mess.

Brass excused himself and made his way downstairs to call the coroner on the radio. Old or new scene, a dead body was a dead body and it was time to let everyone in on it.

“Barn was a dead end. Sara and Sophia found a water pump in the yard, looks like it was used recently. Also got some more footprints. You might want to hurry if you want to see them for yourself, it looks like rain again.”

Catherine made her way downstairs with Nick, passing Brass at the car to where the other three stood out in the front yard.

“They’re headed that way,” Sofia said, pointing further down the road. “Back on the trail. Two sets.”

Sara was snapping photos and scanning the horizon, as if she might be able to see them there.

The footprints were easy to distinguish as they were set in dried mud. Doing a mental calculation, the last rain being three nights ago, they’d had to of set out two days ago sometime after that. Sometime before the sun had hardened it back into dirt, giving them near perfect imprints.

“They must have started heading that way at least two days ago,” Warrick said now, putting Sara’s thoughts into words.

“What is that?” Catherine asked. The pair of tracks on the left had an odd circular mark just next to the left foot. A deep one.

“The crutch,” Sara provided before snapping a few photos of it, “Greg hurt his leg, that’s the indent of the crutch.”

”He must be leaning heavy on it then,” Warrick agreed, “Check how deep it is?”

”Right print is also deeper then the left,” Nick said looking closer himself, “he’s putting a lot of his weight on his right leg.”

”At least he’s still walking,” Sofia said earning an almost harsh look from Sara that only Nick saw.

Sofia saying that had forcefully reminded her of Greg’s notebook. Particularly his last entry. The notebook she still had on her, despite it being evidence. The one she’d read it more then a few times through by now, could nearly recite parts if pressed.

“Looks like he’s barely touching the ground with his left foot,” Warrick supplied.

”Well if those are Greg’s,” Catherine said moving to the other set, “These are Grissom’s. He’s matching him stride for stride. Even impressions. At least he’s not hurt.”

They all felt the first drops of rain beginning to fall. There was no time for casting plaster but there really wasn’t a need. The photos were enough especially since they planned on finding them today. This was the best indication they’d had. Proof positive that they were still alive and moving and now with direction.

The rain was trifling, a mere annoyance, but enough to move everyone towards the house.

“David’s on his way,” Brass told Catherine as they reached him still standing outside on the porch.

Everyone but Catherine reacted to this. Each asking questions in turn wondering why the coroner had even been called.

“Calm down,” Catherine said finally, “there is a body upstairs.”

”You’re kidding,” Nick said reacting first.

“No joke,” Brass returned with a shake of his head.

“So they stumbled onto a murder scene?” Warrick asked a hint of a mile on his lips. This was just too good.

“Looks like it,” Catherine said walking back into the house. “And I think they processed it.”

Catherine led them over to Greg’s case and pulled out the sealed bags she’d originally thought were from the original db but now knew differently. They were each labeled in Grissom’s hand and sealed ready for processing.

As Brass led Warrick and Catherine back upstairs to review the scene, the other three took their first real look around downstairs.

“This chair was moved,” Sofia said causing Nick to look up sharply from across the room where he’d been going through Greg’s case.

“What?” he asked and Sara smiled at him and shook her head.

“She wasn’t talking to you,” Sara said leaning over to him, “Sofia talks to herself. You’ll get use to it.”

Nick gave Sofia a fleeting glance and sure enough she was still across the room looking at the chair and not at either of them. Looking back at Sara he shook his head. His look clearly said that he doubted he’d get use to it and Sara nearly laughed.

“Fireplace was lit. Someone slept there,” Sofia continued oblivious to Nick and Sara’s sidebar. “Got some bandages.”

Sara walked over to her now. Sofia’s voice had raised towards then end, the only indicator she ever gave that she was in fact speaking to someone else. Sure enough, there were the end parts of tape and gauze, like someone had tore off the excess and left it there. Plus a fairly bloody t-shirt and wadded up duct tape, obviously used.

“Must have used it for a bandage,” Sofia said bagging the shirt first with gloved hands. “That’s a lot of blood.”

Sara nodded and tried not to think about it. Nick had joined them now, curious at the exchange, blanching a little at the blood.

“Uh guys,” Catherine said coming up behind them.

They each looked over to her in anticipation.

“David’s going to be awhile getting here and Warrick and I were thinking that maybe someone should keep going down that road. See if maybe Gil and Greg didn’t get that far.”

”I’ll go,” Sara said nodding already.

“Me too,” Nick seconded.

It was pretty much as she’d expected. Catherine turned to Sofia now, waiting for her to decide.

“I’ll stay,” she said shortly, “You don’t need more then two people and since this is a scene…”

”Okay then,” Catherine cut in with a nod. “Here are the keys and you’ve got the radio. Call back if you need anything.”

Nick and Sara both nodded and headed outside.

“I’m driving,” Nick said reaching the drivers side first, keys in hand.

Sara didn’t argue just got in on the other side and buckled in.

They continued down slowly, just as they had before, each looking as they went out their respective sides. Nick keeping the SUV around five miles an hour to ensure they didn’t miss a thing.

“So how far do you think they got?” Nick asked after several minutes of silence.

“Two days lead?” Sara questioned back, “No telling. I mean, we don’t know how often they stopped. The weather has held since then so they could have gotten a descent distance.”

”Yeah but the only thing is that on the map, this way leads through a wash.”

Sara nodded.

“And with Greg’s leg…”

“Let’s not talk about it,” Sara cut him off curtly.

Nick cast her a glance and then nodded, continuing to look and drive as best he could. The road wasn’t bad at first but as the afternoon wore on and it began to get darker and darker it got worse.

A few times they stopped and investigated sites that looked promising only to find nothing significant.

It was fully dark when the road came to an abrupt end.

Nick and Sara both got out and shook their heads in disbelief.

“Well,” Nick said shaking his head, “that’s it. We can’t drive across that. This thing is tough but we’ll get stuck in the sand out there.”

Sara took out her flashlight and began to scan the area.

“Check this out,” she said waving Nick over. “Looks like we’ve got fire.”

Nick nodded.

“They were here at least one night,” he said after taking out the camera and snapping a few shots. “What time have you got?”

Sara rubbed her arms it ward off the cold before checking her watch.

“Just after nine.”

”We should get back,” Nick said and she reluctantly agreed.

Again for the first few miles, faster then before but still not up to speed, there was silence.

“Are they going to make it?” Sara asked. She didn’t look at him as she spoke, just stared straight ahead at the darkness past the headlights.

“Yeah, they are.”

”Are you always this way? This hopeful?”

”Have to be. There’s no point in thinking about the worse.”

Sara nodded. She wished she could be that way.

After another fifteen minutes or more of silence the two-way rang. It wasn’t the first time that night, Catherine and Brass had called on and off throughout the night to check in on them.

“Yeah we’re on our way back,” Sara said into it in anticipation of the question.

“That’s great Sara,” returned Brass’ voice, “but that’s not why I rang. We’re heading out.”

Nick looked over at the radio in surprise. The line was open so they both could hear him and he’d assumed they’d wait at the house for them.

“Okay,” Sara said also surprised at the change. “We’ll see you back at the lab then. We’re probably a half hour from the house.”

”Don’t bother,” Brass said and there was something different in his voice. “Go straight to Desert Springs Hospital. Just got a call from dispatch.”

Sara felt her heart jump and Nick stopped the car suddenly.

“And?” she asked startled by the shake in her voice.

Brass didn’t seem to hear it. Neither did Nick. He was too drawn to the radio to make out the difference.

“An Officer Brown picked them up on the five-oh-five about half an hour ago.”

“Are they okay?” she asked now.

“Seemed to be,” Brass returned and she thought she heard a door slam. They must be getting ready to leave. “Didn’t get to much detail but they’d been found walking on the side of the road headed towards town.”

”That’s… that’s…”

Sara took her thumb off the button and shook her head. She couldn’t get the words out so she handed the radio off to Nick.

“Sara?” came Brass again on the line.

“Hey, it’s Nick,” he said taking over, “We’re on our way there now.”

”Good,” Brass said. “We’ll see you there.”

Nick put the phone down and turned to her.

“You okay?” he asked and watched as she nodded and wiped her hands across her face.

“Fine. I’m fine. Do you think you can get this thing going again?”

Nick let out a short laugh and complied.

“Let’s go see our friends,” he said giving her one last smile before heading back down the road.

“Yeah,” she said smiling now in the darkness of the cab.

Mentally adding, ‘let’s hurry.’


	11. The Search

**Title:** The Search  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** None  
 **Rating:** PG-13 because it’s where I default too  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine, not mine.

**Summary:**  
With Grissom and Greg lost in the desert, both swing shift and grave shift must work together to not only find them but to pull through it. Supplemental to 'The Body'.

_Finally -- it is done! *throws party* I am so relieved to have this over. This really started off fun but got to be just down right grueling towards the end. Thanks to everyone for keeping me going and to[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) for once more reviewing this for me. The last two chapters are below and yes, there probably will a follow-up but this time I mean it when I say it won't be anytime soon!_

**At the Hospital**

Sara and Nick sped down the hallway where the nurse had directed them to only to find a waiting room occupied by half the crime lab. Hustling over to where Brass and Catherine stood they immediately asked what was happening, what was known.

“Calm down,” Brass said holding up his hands to them both in an effort to slow them down. He’d been explaining and re-explaining the situation every five minutes as someone new would show up. It was becoming exhausting. “They’re fine just being looked over.”

”When can we see them?” Sara asked.

“It’ll be awhile,” Catherine answered, “The doctor was just here, said Gil’s in good condition. A little dehydrated, sunburned, and has a touch of the flu but otherwise good. They’re still checking him out but he should be able to leave tomorrow.”

”And Greg?” Nick asked.

“Greg is,” Catherine started and her smile faltered, “He’s going to be fine.”

”Going to be,” Sara echoed.

“Yeah,” Brass picked up, “Doctor Garrett says he’s got full blown pneumonia. Leg isn’t as bad as we thought, it isn’t broken at least or infected. He’s also pretty burned and dehydrated but otherwise okay.”

”Good,” Nick said feeling relieved because it really could have been much worse.

Sara and Nick joined the rest of the lab in the chairs but didn’t join in the conversation. Everyone was excited, talking rapidly and eagerly. Anxious to see them both, relieved it was over.

But the wait was long.

It wasn’t until after six that morning that they were given another update. Sara had fallen asleep, as had most everyone on and off during the night, and Nick had to gently shake her to gain her attention.

“Come on,” he whispered, not wanting to wake anyone else.

She looked up and saw Warrick and Catherine standing near the entrance to the ward and got up and joined them as quickly as she could.

“How long was I asleep?” she whispered to Nick.

“An hour tops,” he answered with a smile, “And FYI, you drool.”

Sara looked at his shoulder and nearly laughed.

“Sorry about that,” she said and made a half hearted attempt to wipe it off making him laugh as well.

“Quiet,” Catherine atoned, “We don’t want to wake everyone up.”

”Where are we going?” Sara asked as they strode down the hall.

“Gil’s up,” Catherine answered. “They’re releasing him at eight. Thought we’d sneak in ahead of everyone else.”

Sara and Nick both smiled at that.

They reached the door and Catherine tapped on it lightly before cracking it open.

“Come in,” they heard from just inside the room but it wasn’t a voice they recognized. Grissom’s voice, normally smooth, sounded shredded.

“Hi stranger,” Catherine said forcing a smile onto her face as she made her way across the room.

“Catherine,” he said as best he could, sitting up a little further and clearing his throat. “Isn’t anyone at the lab?”

“Not tonight,” she said with a chuckle.

“How’re you feeling?” Warrick asked next coming over and sitting down in the nearest chair.

“Honestly?” Grissom asked with a small smile, “Bad. Really bad.”

“But you’re okay to go home?” Nick questioned.

“I’m fine,” Grissom contended, “How’s Greg?”

”Dr. Garrett said he’s sleeping,” Catherine answered.

“Pneumonia?” he questioned now looking at her for confirmation.

Catherine nodded before continuing.

”Not too serious.”

Now Grissom nodded, he’d guessed that much given Greg’s symptoms while they’d be out.

“So what happened?” Warrick finally asked, they’d all been dying to know.

Grissom cleared his throat and shifted again in the bed. Catherine poured him a glass of water from the pitcher sitting near the bed. He took it from her with a smile and thanked her before starting.

“We got lost.”

”That’s it?” Nick asked with his own smile.

“No that’s not it,” Grissom said wryly, “We were at the scene, Greg saw something shiny…”

Warrick and Nick both laughed at this. For the first time even Sara cracked a smile.

“What?” Catherine asked.

“Nothing,” Warrick said waving her off, “Sorry. Just that Nick owes me twenty bucks.”

”Well, it wasn’t Greg’s fault,” Grissom started again, “Once we realized we weren’t on the right trail he wanted to stay put but I kept us going.”

They all nodded slightly at that.

“How far did you track us?” Grissom asked curious now at where they’d gotten too. They seemed to have at least known their starting point.

“Found the house yesterday,” Warrick answered.

“Nick and I found your campsite at the end of the road,” Sara offered as well.

Grissom nodded.

“We saw the helicopter twice.”

”You were that close?” Nick asked in shock.

“Not exactly,” Grissom returned, “We were just far enough away to see it, but nothing more. Did you find the creek?”

”And your directions,” Nick answered with a nod of his own, “What happened there? I mean, we know Greg fell in right?”

”Not fell, no,” Grissom said before stopping and coughing harshly.

After taking a few sips of water he began again.

“When we came up on the creek it was dry. Greg had spotted that road from the top of a cliff earlier that morning…”

”So that’s what he was doing?” Catherine cut him off shaking her head. “We knew you’d been there cliff side but we thought you started down a different trail. There was one right up there on top, clear as day.”

”There was another trail?” Grissom asked and Catherine nodded. “How did you know we were there? That Greg was up there?”

”Indent marks under the overhang,” Catherine answered, “Rectangular.”

”The case,” Grissom supplied.

“And we found Greg’s notebook on top of the hill.”

”You found his notebook?” Grissom asked sounding both surprised and pleased.

Catherine smiled and nodded.

“Good,” he finished, “He’ll be thrilled. He thought he lost it in the creek with his phone and wallet.”

”No,” Nick said shaking his head, “we got those too. Wallet showed up in a run off in town, phone was right there at the creek bed.”

Grissom was silent for a minute, thinking it over.

“So the creek?” Warrick questioned again.

“Yes,” Grissom started, “it was empty. The rain had started up again and we had to get across it in a hurry. I’d gotten out first and realized that Greg hadn’t, he was still carrying his case and didn’t want to leave it behind. So after throwing it up the embankment, he started to climb out himself but by then the water was already coming off the mountains quickly. Before he could get out he slipped, I tried to get a hold of him but…”

Grissom paused and cleared his throat again, obviously still a bit disturbed by the memory of it.

“He was lucky. Very lucky. I don’t know if he hit the tree or caught it, I wouldn’t be surprised if he caught it, but he was lucky. Got out with gash to his leg and nothing more.”

They were all silent now, knowing how much worse it could have been. No one wanted to bring up the fact that the helicopter had been there as part of a body recovery mission. That at that point they’d pretty much assumed the worst had happened.

The rest of the time they kept the conversation light. They caught him up on the status of the cases, what had been happening in the office, those types of things. He asked a few more questions about Greg but not much else. He seemed content to hear what they had to say and not say much himself. Before anyone knew it a few hours had passed and Dr. Garrett stopped in. Asking everyone to step out momentarily he was only in the room with Gil for about ten minutes before leaving himself and inviting them back in.

When they re-entered the room Gil wasn’t there but in the adjoining bathroom getting ready to leave.

“I take it you got your walking papers,” Warrick said.

“And not a moment too soon,” Grissom returned having changed into his regular clothes. “I don’t suppose I can get one of you to drive me home, could I?”

“You don’t want to walk?” Nick asked with a smile.

“I’d rather not,” Grissom said with a smile of his own.

“I’ll take you,” Catherine offered and they all accompanied him to the nurses station and then to the car.

Everyone said their goodbyes, certain that they’d see Grissom that night at the lab. That he wouldn’t be able to stay away for long.

Catherine and Gil drove in a fairly comfortable silence before she cleared her throat while they waited at a stoplight.

“Something the matter?” Gil asked turning to her.

“I’m going to have to call Greg’s mother again,” she sighed.

“Ah,” he said in return.

“Did he tell you about his family?” she asked quite seriously.

“Some,” he answered with a slight nod. Gil didn’t want to betray any confidences by commenting further so instead he remained quiet.

“Some?” she questioned back, “His mother’s a nightmare.”

He laughed and she looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“What?” she asked as he continued to shake his head.

“Greg said pretty much the same thing,” he finally said, “I think next time you’ll be both of our emergency contacts. Should make things easier.”

”There better not be a next time,” she returned, but her voice sounded lighter. She treated it like the joke she knew it was supposed to be, but honestly she was touched.

“Does his family know yet?”

“No,” she answered, “I haven’t gotten a chance to call. Really, I haven’t had the heart to call. I don’t think they care.”

”Let me do it,” he offered, “I’m responsible, I should be the one to tell them.”

Catherine nodded silently and they continued on in silence until once more she cleared her throat.

“Greg’s father called,” she said evenly and waited for his reaction.

Gil looked at her with something like surprise on his face.

“Sara told me that they’ve never really met but I told him what was happening, what we knew at the time.”

”I see,” he said almost tightly.

“I’m going to tell Greg,” she continued, “I’m just not sure how.”

”Carefully.”

Catherine nodded.

They pulled up to Grissom’s townhouse and both got out.

“I’ve been watching your crawlies while you were out,” Catherine said opening the door for him and ushering him inside.

“Thank you,” he said quite sincerely. He’d honestly forgotten all about them for the time. Had other things to worry about while they were in the desert. Other things like staying alive.

“It’s good to have you back,” she said with equal sincerity. “Things weren’t the same without you here.”

Gil looked at her and smiled.

“It’s good to be back.”

**Beginnings**

The day after Greg was supposed to be released from the hospital Sara went to visit him again.

Grissom had gone by specifically yesterday to take him home only to find out he wasn’t going home. He’d gone into the lab that night and let them all know. He didn’t have the details as to why because Greg wouldn’t give them, but he’d guessed that it was complications from the pneumonia. Serious ones if they weren’t willing to release him.

She’d gone to the nurse’s desk as she had several times before to sign in. It was a formality by this time, the nurses were all use to the various members of the crime lab coming and going to Greg’s room but today she was stopped.

“I’m sorry miss,” the woman told her, “You can’t see him today.”

”Why not?” she questioned sounding put off.

“He’s in surgery.”

Sara stared at the woman like she might have grown a second head.

“That can’t be right,” she finally said shaking her head, “I’m here to see Greg Sanders.”

”I know who you’re here to see,” the nurse returned with some attitude of her own, “And I told you, he’s in surgery. You might be able to see him tonight but I can’t guarantee that. Dr. Garrett may decide to put him on quarantine.”

“What is it for?” she asked growing worried, “He was fine yesterday.”

”I really can’t discuss that with you.”

Sara nodded curtly, really angry now and made her way to the pay phone. Calling Grissom she quickly explained the situation. He too was surprised at the news and told her to stay there and he’d join her.

Grissom was there in twenty minutes. The entire time Sara paced the waiting room and glared at the nurse on duty.

Once he arrived he went straight to the desk and asked to speak with Dr. Garrett. The nurse obliged but not before casting one last look of disapproval at Sara.

After another half hour of silence in the waiting room Dr. Garrett came through the double doors and joined them both in the chairs.

“Dr. Grissom,” he said shaking his hand and acknowledged Sara with a nod, “What can I do for you?”

”We were just told that Greg Sanders is in surgery,” Gil began.

“Yes,” Dr. Garrett answered with another nod, “Actually, he’s just gotten out. Fairly routine considering.”

”Considering what?” Sara interrupted.

“He has a condition called empyma. It’s a rare occurrence but can happen with acute cases of pneumonia. Basically he has fluid filling the pleural space in his lungs making it hard for him to breathe. We’ve inserted a chest tube to drain that fluid. Once done it will be removed and he should be fine.”

”How much longer will he be in?” Grissom asked still concerned.

“At least another week and then he’ll need a week’s recovery time at home.”

”Can we see him?” Sara asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Dr. Garrett answered standing and ushering them past the desk. “He’s still under right now but should be waking up shortly. He’ll probably be disorientated and you can’t stay long. Tomorrow he’ll be able to see visitors like regular.”

”Thank you doctor,” Grissom said once more shaking his hand as they stopped in front of the room.

Grissom opened the door first and stepped inside followed closely by Sara.

Greg was still asleep like Dr. Garrett said he would be and it was startling how young and sick he looked. Despite the sunburn he appeared almost pale. He was still hooked up to an oxygen tank and IV and there as a visible bump on his chest, covered by his gown, that must be the chest tube they’d been told about.

They both stood quietly for several minutes neither speaking nor moving just watching him until he began to stir.

Greg’s eyes fluttered several times before they finally came open. It took a minute for him to come round fully and then another few for him to realize he wasn’t alone.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his words heavy and slurred.

“I think the better question is why you didn’t tell us about this surgery,” Grissom said but not unkindly.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal,” Greg answered after a violent yawn.

Both Sara and Grissom shook their heads at him in disbelief.

“You scared me,” Sara started and then corrected herself, “You scared us good.”

”I’m sorry,” Greg said turning towards her, “It was really routine. Like half an hour or something like that.”

”Routine?” Sara questioned, angry without reason, “Greg they stuck a tube in your chest.”

Greg just shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Sara,” Grissom said warningly and she took the hint. Now was not the time to argue with him. Greg was still a bit too out of it to care.

“I didn’t mean to worry anyone,” Greg continued looking from one to the other, “That’s why I didn’t say anything. I figured it would be done with before anyone noticed.”

Grissom gave him a half smile, figuring he’d say as much but Sara still looked fairly angry.

Before anyone could say anything more the nurse from the front desk was in the room ready to usher them out.

“Mr. Sanders needs his rest,” she said tersely making Sara scowl even more.

“Maria,” Greg said to her, “they’re alright. I don’t mind them here.”

”Doctor’s orders Greg,” she said giving him a smile.

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Grissom said standing to go.

Sara, not at all happy, made her way over to his bed and squeezed his hand once but said no more. Greg smiled at her and watched them go through heavy lidded eyes.

****

The next few times Sara or any one came to see Greg it was obvious that he really was finally getting better. Clearing the fluid from around his lungs had helped immensely and he was recovering faster each day until it was finally time for him to go home.

Sara and Nick both volunteered to take him to which he was initially reluctant, wanting to do it by himself. That was before he realized he had no way of getting home other then by a taxi so he relented.

Greg was really happy to see his house and his dog again. Chloe was equally happy to see him. She nearly knocked the three of them over when he came through the door, jumping and whining in excitement.

After stopping to pet her sufficiently Greg looked around the living room and kitchen.

“What happened?” he asked turning to Nick and Sara.

“Don’t look at me,” Nick said pointing to Sara.

“You rearranged my house?” he asked with a laugh as he moved to sit down.

“Just a little,” she said joining him on the couch causing Chloe to yelp and try and get between them.

“I think she’s jealous,” Nick commented sitting down in the nearby armchair.

Greg smiled at that, petting Chloe once on the head before shooing her off the couch.

“So how much time did you spend here?” Greg asked looking from Nick to Sara.

“Enough to realize you don’t know a thing about proper nutrition,” Sara returned with a smirk.

“Yeah you had some kind of experiment in that fridge of yours,” Nick added.

“Well I don’t eat in a lot,” Greg sighed getting up to check for himself.

When he opened it he laughed and turned back around.

“Did you clean everything?” he asked, directing his question to Sara.

“Why do you assume it was me?”

“Because I’ve seen Nick’s place and it isn’t this clean.”

”Hey,” Nick said sounding offended.

“And you shopped,” Greg continued looking through the refrigerators contents. “What is this stuff?”

Sara stood up and joined him.

“They’re called vegetables. You might not recognize them because these haven’t been fried.”

”Hmm,” he said still looking inside, “so that’s what they look like.”

Sara slapped him playfully on the arm before moving away.

“Did you go through my personal belongs as well?” Greg asked as he shut the door and leaned against the counter.

“No,” Sara answered and he gave her a scrutinizing look. “No, I didn’t.”

”I don’t think I can trust you,” Greg returned, “After all, you read my notebook.”

”I told you,” Nick said with a laugh as he moved towards them.

Sara said nothing to that, just put a hand up to her forehead and looked down with a small smile on her lips.

“I said I was sorry,” Sara finally got out.

“Guys,” Nick interrupted, “I’ve got to go. My shift starts in an hour.”

”Thanks for the ride,” Greg said.

“Any time,” Nick said clasping him on the shoulder before saying goodbye to them both and heading out the door.

“I’m beat,” Greg said yawning once and moving back towards the couch.

“I’ll go too,” Sara offered, “Let you get some rest.”

”No,” he countered, “Stay. Please.”

Sara smiled at him and joined him back on the couch. For a few minutes they just sat in a comfortable silence, Chloe between them despite Greg’s attempts to move her from the couch.

“Catherine told me my father called,” he said quietly.

Sara nodded and said nothing to that.

“Thanks for filling her in,” Greg continued turning to her slightly. “I know it put you in an awkward situation and I’m sorry about that…”

”Greg don’t apologize,” she said cutting him off.

“No, really,” he continued undeterred, “Thank you.”

”Fine. Does this mean we’re finally even on the notebook thing?”

”No,” he answered with a laugh and she smiled knowing he’d be forever tormenting her over it and not really minding much.

Again there was silence.

“I talked to him.”

Sara looked at him again, seriously taken back.

“Catherine told me he called and that she filled him in on what was happening but that she didn’t know what to say or do once we’d gotten back so I asked her for his number and I called.”

“What did he say?” Sara asked and then immediately recollected herself, “I’m sorry, that’s not my business.”

”No, it’s fine,” Greg said shaking his head seemingly relieved to have someone to talk to about it, “He was surprised. I mean, of course he didn’t know who I was at first but it was okay I guess. We didn’t really talk much. I just told him I was okay and…”

Greg stopped and rubbed his forehead with his hand looking down. Sara put her hand on his shoulder in support and he nodded and smiled at her kindly.

“He wants to meet me. Wants me to meet his wife and kids, my sisters. I have three more sisters.”

He’d laughed as he’d finished the thought but it wasn’t his normal laugh. This one sounded strained. Worried even.

“What are you going to do?” she asked seriously.

“I don’t know. I told him I’d think about it but I don’t know if I’m ready yet.”

Sara nodded and understood that.

“I want too,” Greg said sounding just a serious as she had, “I do. I don’t want to go my whole life and not know him but I’ve already gone my whole life thinking he didn’t want to know me.”

”That’s what your mother said, you don’t know if that’s even true.”

Greg nodded, he’d considered that himself.

“I guess it’s time, huh?”

Sara nodded and smiled once more at him.

“I think I will,” Greg said sounding resolved. “My terms.”

Sara thought she knew what he meant but couldn’t be certain. Instead she just nodded once more at him.

“Thanks Sara,” he said turning to her again.

“For what?” she asked really not understanding why he’d be thanking her.

“For listening to me. For being here.”

”Well you’ve been there for me,” she said shrugging off the compliment, “I’m just returning the favor.”

”I’m not there for you as a favor,” he said once more serious, “I’m there for you because you’re my friend.”

Sara, embarrassed by his honest sentiment, didn’t know what to say. So she said nothing, leaned in and kissed his cheek before standing up to go.

“You need to get some sleep,” she ordered as she moved towards the front door.

“What?” he questioned joining her, “You’re not going to tuck me in?”

Sara laughed at him, all the ease back in his voice.

“Not tonight,” she returned. “Maybe tomorrow if you’re lucky.”

”Really?”

“No,” she answered and they both laughed.

“Goodnight Greg,” she said giving him a hug before opening the door to go.

“Goodnight,” he echoed and watched her as she walked to her car, only shutting the door once she had it started.

Sara sat there for a moment, even after he left the doorway, just taking it all in. This quite possibly had been the longest few weeks of her life. It had been such an emotional rollercoaster. Surprised at her own emotions, her own feelings, knowing that the ride was far from over.

In a way the search had really just begun.

**The End**


End file.
